Child of Balance
by Kushinada Uzumaki
Summary: AU: Fem!Naru. "I won't take the chance, I'm sorry, Minato." Kushina turned from her husbands body to the softly crying baby before her, the sign of a jinchuriki on her stomach. She had never wanted this for her baby, her Naru, but she'd had no choice. Before she died, though, she would give Naruto the chance at a life outside of the Elemental Nations. Outside the loneliness...
1. Kushina's Choice

**AN: So, this is an odd idea I came up with, but it wouldn't leave me alone so I decided to see how it goes. **

* * *

**Child of Balance.**

**Chapter 1: Kushina's Choice. **

Kushina cried tears which mixed with the dirt and the little blood on her face. The beautiful redhead hated what had happened, and a part of her blamed herself for not being strong enough to stop the extraction of the Kyuubi.

True, she hadn't expected anyone to want to pull the giant fox from her, but she should have taken more precautions.

Her husband had many enemies after all, as did she, and they hadn't really taken as many steps to hide her pregnancy as they should have.

True, no one but a select few knew she was married to Minato, but it didn't take a genius to connect the dots. They were nearly attached at the hip for many years after all.

Now, she was paying for being too carefree. Maybe she was being too hard on herself, but the fact her daughter, her newly born baby girl was laying there, the new jinchūriki of the nine-tails made her heart break in two.

She may not have had it as hard as many jinchūriki, but there was always that feeling of loneliness, of darkness just waiting to swallow you whole.

Even if it wasn't publicly known, there were always those times she'd look around at others, and be paranoid that those watching her knew her secret.

That they knew what she was, and they hated her for it. Mito had told her that love was the answer, and when she was with Minato she barely even remembered her own burden.

Naruto, her little Naru-chan, she wouldn't have the benefit of no one knowing. Even as she bleed out from the large whole in her abdomen from Kyuubi's claw, she knew.

The Hokage would have to tell the village what had happened, and he'd believe as Minato had. He'd believe in Konoha's ability to accept their jinchūriki as a human, as a hero.

Kushina's hand tightened into a fist as she clawed her way closer to her daughter, removing Minato's forehead protector as she did. He wasn't far from her, already dead. She barely had any life in her, the wound was fatal even

If she wasn't weak from childbirth and the extraction. It was sad, she might have lived if it weren't for the wound in her gut. She didn't regret it though, if she and Minato hadn't jumped in the way of the Kyuub's claw, Naruto would have died.

Smiling down at the blonde baby (she was surprised it had inherited Minato's hair color, though proud of this, she did notice a few red highlights).

Placing the forehead protector on it's chest lightly, along with one of Minato's Hiraishin kunai (making sure to place it in such a way it couldn't harm to newborn), Kushina kissed Naruto's small forehead.

"You'll be alright," she whispered to the baby, coating her fingers in her own blood coming from her wounded gut and drawing seals around the newborn.

Looking over at her husbands corpse once she was done she sighed sadly, and looked behind her as she noticed voices getting closer. The reinforcements, she realized, she had to hurry.

"I won't take the chance, I'm sorry, Minato."

She couldn't allow for the possibility the village would react as all others to the news of their jinchūriki. It was always the same after all, and she'd met one or two of the other jinchūriki. None had a happy story, even those in Kumo.

Kushina turned from her husbands body to the softly crying baby before her, the sign of a jinchūriki on her stomach. She had never wanted this for her baby, her Naru, but she'd had no choice.

Before she died, though, she would give Naruto the chance at a life outside of the Elemental Nations. Outside the loneliness, scorn, blood and death that followed jinchūriki's.

"Kyuubi: Kōtsū Fūin (Nine-tails: Transportation Seal)!"

The remainder of Kushina's chakra and life force was placed behind the fūinjutsu her family had created. Mostly it was used to get passed the barrier separating the Elemental Nations from the rest of the world.

Many had forgotten the fact the Elemental lands were not the entirety of the Earth. Besides for the Kage of each major nation, and some older clans – like the Uzumaki – everyone had forgotten it was even there.

Back when Mito, her great-aunt (give or take a great) had become a jinchūriki she had improved on the seal, and passed it on to Kushina. Only a jinchūriki, currently or formerly, could use the seal. Hence why it was called Kyuubi: Kōtsū Fūin.

Kushina watched as a orb of pure chakra, a mix of silver, white and red formed around Naruto and then flickered and she was gone. Leaving on a chakra burn on the area she'd drawn the seals.

Her body collapsed, completely spent of energy and chakra.

As she died, there was a smile present on her face, because she knew her daughter would have a fighting chance at a normal life away from the burden of being a human sacrifice.

* * *

**Miles Away; Japan; ****Highton View Terrace:**

**October 11****th****, 1988:**

"Honey, can you get Tai's food ready while I check the mail?" Yuuko Kamiya called back to her husband, Susumu.

"Already working on it, Yuuko," he called back and Yuuko chuckled at her husbands antics.

They'd only been married three years, and had their first child, and currently only child, Taichi Kamiya a year ago. He was a bit of a handful at times, but he was sleeping soundly through nights, and had been for months now so at least there was that small relief.

Yawning largely, Yuuko reached for the doorknob, stopping short when she heard the muffled sound from outside. Crying, she realized, and then with a soft gasp and wide brown eyes she realized it was a baby. Turning the knob she practically threw the door open.

Sure enough, on the welcome mat in front of her was a baby, a naked as any newborn (and she could tell from how small she, she noticed, was).

Oddly, the only thing left with the baby was a odd headband with a metal plate and leaf-like design, and a knife of some sort that seemed to have prongs o either side and a ring hole at the handle. It was strange, she'd never seem something like it before.

She had a hard time figuring out why someone would abandon such a beautiful baby, or why it wasn't bundled up or at least in a basket of some sort. More so, she wondered what sort of parent left a headband and knife when they abandoned their child on a door step.

She acted on instinct, picked the child up, along with the objects. They were undoubtedly the babies parents, left to be given to the child once she was older. Yuuko didn't know how she felt about giving a child a knife. The items were also obviously special to the child's parents if they were left, and the headband especially since it looked well worn.

she'd wasn't even sure yet what she and Susumu were going to do with the child. They already had Tai, could they afford or even have time for another child so soon?

"Shh, it's alright baby," Yuuko said softly to the blonde baby, whose blue eyes shinned with tears.

They were a shade of cerulean-azure Yuuko had never seen before. The babies hair (as fine and few as it was) was also a bright blonde, like the sun, yet she could make out red highlights, all natural. There was unfortunately no name tag of any sort.

"Yuuko, why do you have a baby?" Susumu asked as he looked up from feeding Tai, once his wife had entered the kitchen.

Yuuko smiled at her husband.

"I found her on the door step," she began, and Susumu raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously?" he asked dryly.

She laughed.

"I know, it sounds like a scenario out of a movie, but it's true. I don't know who would want to abandon such a beautiful baby girl, but I think we should... keep her."

"Keep her, Yuuko, we already have Tai to look after. Not to mention there are channels we have to go through in order to keep her."

Yuuko sighed, nodding.

"I know, but, I have this feeling we were meant to keep her. I've always wanted a daughter, as well," Yuuko said and Susumu sighed.

He knew his wife had always wanted a daughter (though she loved their son all the same), but Tai's birth had been hard. The doctors were unsure if it was possible for her to get pregnant naturally again.

Yuuko held hope she could, and wanted to try again in a few years. He wasn't surprised his wife had taken to the baby she now held so quickly. She had a big heart, and she always went with her instincts.

He smiled at her, and walked over to take a better look at the blonde baby his wife held. She was no longer crying, but was wide awake.

"Alright, we'll get this settled after breakfast," Susumu said, and smiled at the blonde baby. "Welcome to the family..."

He looked at the brunette beside him in silent question.

"Narumi," Yuuko said, after a moments thought. "Narumi Kamiya."

She didn't know exactly why she chose the name, besides having always liked it and it's meaning (achieve, beauty. Though it could also be written as achieve, truth), but for some reason it just seemed to suit the blonde.

Time passed after the Kamiya's found Naruto Uzumaki, now Narumi Kamiya, on their doorstep. In this time they had legally adopted the abandoned child and welcomed her into their small family.

Some time later, when Tai was four and Narumi was nearly three, Susumu and Yuuko would welcome another child (and their last) into the family; a girl named Hikari 'Kari' Kamiya.

For a while things were well, but soon enough everything would change.


	2. Surfs Up

**AN: So, I want to thank those who have reviewed. Also, I have two graphics up on my profile of what Naru looks like during her adventures. The pairing for this story has also been chosen. **

**I wanted to do something different from my usual Sasuke/Naru pairing, and this story is perfect for it since she didn't grow up knowing any of the kids in Konoha. **

**Anyways, please enjoy the chapter and the next will be up soon. **

* * *

**Child of Balance**

**Chapter 2: Surfs Up!**

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, looked out the window of his office with a forlorn look on his face. Ten years, nearly eleven come October, had passed since the Kyuubi attack.

Since he'd arrived to find Minato, his successor as Hokage, and the Fourth's wife, Kushina Uzumaki, dead on the ground. On a alter, where he was sure their daughter, Naruto, had once been was evidence of a fūinjutsu used.

It didn't take a genius for him to realize Kushina had done something before her death. The smile on her face, even in death told him she'd had a hand in whatever had happened to Naruto. Just to be sure he'd sent search parties out, had Jiraiya investigate any leads on a blonde baby.

Naruto Uzumaki, legacy of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, was nowhere to be found. Most who knew the child as the jinchūriki of the Kyuubi, thought her dead and paid no second thoughts to it. To his disgust they even seem happy and relieved the girl was lost.

Others were simply searching in order to regain their missing jinchūriki and trump card. There seemed to only be a few of these, he found to his relief. Others, like himself, simply wanted to find her to know she was alive and to possibly bring her home.

She did belong in Konoha, but he also knew after being raised wherever she was now she had loyalty and ties there. She most likely would not leave, even for her birth village. There was also no proof she was even born in Konoha since she'd disappeared only hours after her birth.

Kushina and Minato had no time to do more than name her, either. Had she not disappeared he would have taken care of her birth records, but since she was not, there had been no point. She couldn't be a resident of Konoha or fire country if she was not there.

He supposed in the end that was for the best. No laws could legally bind her to Konoha if she chose not to return to her birth place. It still saddened him though.

Had she grown up in Konoha she would have been attending the academy now, with many other children, mostly clan heirs ironically enough. She would had been a fine kunoichi, like her mother, he was sure of that.

Alas, she was not around and the place seemed less bright. Minato had the same effect on Konoha, his personality and ability to lead. Many had said he was like Konoha's sun, and when he'd died a part of the sunlight and cheer had died with him.

The same, Hiruzen believed, could be said about Naruto. At least, he thought to himself, she was dead.

He knew that for sure. Kushina wouldn't had done anything to put Naruto in more danger, but for the life of him he couldn't understand what sort of seal the redhead had used and where it sent Naruto. That truth had died with Kushina.

"Thinking of her again, Sensei?"

Hiruzen turned, already knowing who it was from the voice.

Jiraiya.

"She will be eleven soon," he said, sighing. "Nearly eleven years, and yet no closer to where she might be."

Jiraiya sighed as well, nodding his head. He understood why he was upset, he'd been just as upset. Naruto had been his goddaughter, and when he'd gotten news she was missing, he hadn't taken it too well.

He was relieved, though, that it was something Kushina had done before her death. Some seal, though he couldn't recognize it. It was too badly damaged from whatever it was meant to do, and what was left legible he couldn't yet make heads of tails of.

It was definitely Uzumaki made, which was probably one reason he had no idea what it was meant to do. The Uzumaki had been renowned for their seals. So much so the skill had gotten them and their homelands destroyed during the Third Shinobi War.

"We can still find her," Jiraiya said. "It'll just take longer than we thought. Who knows, maybe she'll find us."

_Maybe,_ Hiruzen thought.

Maybe.

* * *

Summer camp was a bit of a tradition, at least as far as Naru could recall.

She remembered the first time she'd came with her older brother (only by a year, she constantly reminded him). She had only been eight back then, and couldn't appreciate it quite the way she did now.

Summer, a time to relax and forget everything learned the previous year – well, maybe forget was a strong word, more like repress until it's needed again the next year.

This year, though, was strange. Maybe it was the lights in the sky, the weird temperature changes around the world which she hadn't known about at the time since she was, as stated before, at summer camp.

She wasn't even sure she was on earth anymore, but that's getting ahead of herself.

After all, it all started on a normal day, at least, normal until it started snowing. Now, snow might not be that big of a deal, but Narumi was positive it wasn't supposed to snow in mid July.

Of course, it got stranger after that. After she'd ran from the place she was playing volleyball with some of the other campers, Narumi watched as the strangest summer blizzard raged outside.

"You think it'll ever stop?" she asked, and glanced behind her.

"Why wouldn't it?" a boy with gravity defying dark brown hair, and brown eyes asked. "It snows all the time and it stops then."

Narumi stared blandly at the boy. Taichi Kamiya, or just Tai as he preferred. He was her older brother, but sometimes she had to wonder just what went on in his goggle wearing head.

Of course, she couldn't say much... she once wore goggles too, but she'd traded those in the year before for for a cap that had vulpine-like ears. Her mother had said it brought out the odd birthmarks on her cheeks – whiskers, like a fox.

"It's the middle of July, Tai," she said, rolling her eyes. "It doesn't snow in July."

"She's right," a girl said, a hat similar to Narumi's own, except it was not the adorned with ears and looked less like a beanie.

The girls hair was a reddish-brown color and short, just barely brushing her shoulders. Her eyes were also a light brown, and she had a tomboy style about her.

Sora Takenouchi. Narumi didn't know her well, but she knew she was Tai's age, a year older than Narumi herself. Most of the kids currently in the building they'd run too when it began snowing were. Except for Izzy, Mimi and T.K.

Speaking of the others.

There was Yamato 'Matt' Ishida, again she didn't know him well. She'd never exactly been overly social, though she had friends in her age group. Like those she played Volleyball with, unfortunately her school didn't have a team, only the High School in Odaiba had a team. She digressed; Matt was one of those cool guys according to her brother.

Naru knew those two would clash if they spent too much time around one another, they were alike in ways, but also completely different. Matt reminded her of a lone wolf, a cute one, she would admit. What girl wouldn't notice that, with the golden blonde hair that was messy and seemed wind-swept, and sapphire blue eyes.

Not that she cared, she was just being observant. Really.

Moving on, though; Koushiro Izumi, or Izzy as he preferred, was a bit of a computer know-all. Every time she'd seen the redheaded boy he always seemed to have his laptop, and she wouldn't be surprised if he had other electronics in his bag as well. He was smart, smart enough to be her age, but be in her brother's grade. Apparently he'd skipped a grade.

Mimi Tachikawa was a sweet girl from what she knew of her, and Naru's age, though older by a few months. Narumi sometimes hated being born in October, it made her younger than a lot of her age group.

She didn't know Mimi well, though, but she guessed the girls favorite color would be pink from the amount the dark strawberry blonde wore daily.

Next was Joe Kido, and again Naru didn't know much about the dark blue haired boy. He was her brothers age, and rather smart looking. From what she knew he was studying to be a doctor.

Last was Takeru 'T.K.' Takaishi. He was Matt's younger brother, the same age as Naru's own younger sister, Kari. He was a bit strange, but a good kid – though he was only about three years younger then her, give or take a few months. She didn't exactly know when his birthday was to be more exact.

"It is rather strange," Izzy added, never looking up from his laptop.

Tai laughed, shrugging, and noticed it had stopped snowing outside. The ground was covered in snow, inches upon inches of it. Amazing since it only lasted about fifteen too twenty minutes. Needless to say, everyone was sure the canoe racing had been canceled. Which was fine with Naru, she wasn't a big fan of swimming anyways.

"I'm gonna build the biggest snowman ever!" T.K exclaimed as he exited the cabin with everyone else.

"T.K, be careful," Matt called after his brother.

Sora shivered, looking around her at the winter wonderland.

"I wish I'd brought a sweater," she said, rubbing her own arms.

"At least you have gloves," Naru said, standing not far from the slightly taller girl.

Both actually wore gloves, though Naru's were more form fitting gloves. Naru also wore sleeves that went a few inches past her elbows, and flared a little, but had a high collar similar to Sora's yellow sleeveless shirt.

"Yeah," Sora muttered in agreement.

"Hey, guys, come look at this!" Mimi called, staring wide eyed at the sky. "It's so pretty."

Everyone gathered around, looking up at the sky which glowed with colors. Narumi's eyes were wide as she stared, wondering what it could be.

"But what is it?" Izzy asked, voicing what everyone was wondering.

"Maybe it's one of those aurora things," Sora said, hesitantly as if searching for the right words.

"You mean an Aurora Borealis," Izzy clarified.

"That's impossible, isn't it?" Naru inquired, looking back at them. "I mean, I thought we learned in class those wore northern lights. They happen in places like Alaska, or something."

Izzy nodded.

"Right, we're too far south for that," he added.

"Try telling that to the snow, I didn't think it could snow in July either," Sora said.

"I really think we should go inside," Joe said, nervously. "We could get pneumonia or something, and this can't be safe."

"And miss this?" Matt asked, his eyes locked on the sky. "The sky, it's like it's short circuiting or something."

"Hey, what's that?" Tai asked, and everyone tried to focus on what he was seeing.

It wasn't that hard. It was like some sort of green vortex in the sky.

"That doesn't look too good," Naru said from her brother's side.

Just then eight lights glowed from what seemed like inside the vortex and seconds later the lights shot out like meteors.

"Everyone get down!"

Snow flew about as the lights hit the ground in front of them, seconds later when it was over the eight of them got up from where they were hunched down.

"You alright, sis?" Tai asked, looking the blonde over for any injuries.

Naru nodded, sort of dazed about what had happened.

"Yeah," she said, and a second later Sora asked if everyone was alright.

"We're still here," Matt said, help his brother up.

"That was scary," Mimi muttered, clutching at her cowgirl-like hat to get it in place. "Lets not do that again, please."

"What was it, though?" Joe asked.

Izzy crawled towards on of the holes left by the lights, slowly.

"Meteors, maybe," he muttered, almost questioningly "Ah, huh? On the other hand, maybe not..."

He stood as the lights came from the holes, and in front of everyone a bluish, white light covered object floated up. Everyone grabbed one after a moments hesitation, revealing a medium sized, light metallic gray device of some sort.

"What... are these?" Sora asked slowly, as they all stared at their own strange device.

"My guess would be some sort of remote digital device... but I really don't know," Izzy said.

"No instructions, then?" Matt asked.

Narumi's eyes widened as she saw the water from the lake explode upward in front of them.

"I think we have bigger problems!" she exclaimed taking a single step back. "Everyone, surfs up!"

"I knew I should have gone to Cheerleading camp!" Mimi exclaimed as they were seemingly suck up and and falling.

"Naru, hold on!" Tai yelled as he tried to keep a hold on his sisters hand.

Narumi grunted in annoyance and felt her hand slipping from her brothers. She groaned in annoyance again, and the last thing she remembered was her hand slipping free of Tai's.


	3. Hey Digimon!

**Child of Balance.**

**Chapter 3: Hey Digimon!**

Narumi groaned as she began to wake up, her back on what felt like the ground. It was different though, she was sure there had been snow on the ground before.

There was definitely nothing wet or cold about the ground she laid on now.

"Wake up," a familiar voice said, interrupting her thoughts. "Come on, wake up..."

"Is she dead, Matt?" another voice, younger, asked.

Naru twitched as she felt something poking her in the side, a stick she assumed.

"I'm not dead, but you might be if you poke me again," she muttered, opening her eyes to see two sets of blue eyes looking at her.

Matt, and T.K, if she recalled. T.K's eyes widened, and he scrambled up looking slightly embarrassed and Matt snorted, looking mildly amused.

"Good, you up," Matt said, "You're Narumi, Tai's sister, right?"

She stood up, dusting off her red shirt, silver shorts, and straightening her silver gloves and red and orange fox eared beanie out.

"Yeah, I'm Narumi, or just Naru," she said, nodding in greeting. "You're Matt, and T.K, yeah?"

T.K smiled and nodded, while Matt stuffed one of his hands in his pocket and nodded.

"Hi!" a small voice said and Naru blinked when she looked down to find a whitish colored... creature. "I'm Tokomon!"

"Hello, I'm glad you're awake," another said, from beside Matt. "I'm Tsunomon, it's nice to meet you."

"Wha..what are you?" she blurted out, though she thought her mother might have scolded her for being rude.

"Digimon," another voice said from beside her and the next thing Narumi knew there was a yellow and white...creature like the other two, but different, jumping into her arms.

It smiled, blinking blue eyes.

"I'm happy to finally meet you, Narumi!" it said, obviously happy. "I'm Viximon, and I'm your friend, if you'll have me."

It's voice was oddly mature, yet still young, for her size. It looked sort of like a ball with for short legs and a long yellow white-tipped tail.

"Viximon," Naru echoed, blinking. "Nice to meet you, I think."

She was still so confused.

"They were here when we woke up," Matt said, now holding Tsunomon. "Tsunomon said they were something called Digimon."

Viximon and Tokomon nodded.

"Yep," Tokomon said. "We're Digimon."

"Wait, where are the others?" she asked and Matt and T.K both frowned.

"We don't know," T.K said, sadly.

"We should find them," Naru said, and the other nodded.

"That was the idea, it took a while to get your attention though," Matt said, a small smirk on his face.

She rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore the small jab.

"Well," Narumi said, turning in a direction. "Let's go, we don't want to wait too long."

* * *

Naru sighed as nearly tripped over a large tree root.

"Be careful," Matt said, catching her arm before she could fall. "We all need to be careful. We have no idea where we are."

Naru nodded, forcing the small blush of embarrassment and slight annoyance at having to be saved, off her face.

"You're in the digi-world," Viximon said from in front of Naru – where she'd been helping to lead the way.

She had a strong nose it seemed, and was very quick. They'd almost lost the fast little digimon during their search for the others.

"Digi-world," Narumi began, shaking her head. "This is just getting weirder and weirder."

Narumi knew a thing or two about weird. She'd always healed way faster than she should. Scraps and cuts normal children got that stayed around for a few days were gone in minutes or hours depending on how bad they were.

Bruises were much the same. Broken bones, well, she'd broken her arm when she was nine, and it had healed in half the time it should have.

Plenty of people also thought she was weird because of her birthmarks. No one had ever seen someone with whisker marks that were natural. Birthmarks were one thing, but birthmarks so apparent like hers were another all together.

Thankfully there were quite a few who thought they were cool and so she was still able to make friends.

"Hey, Tokomon slow down!" T.K yelled after the white four-legged digimon.

Seconds later they heard Tokomon called for T.K and Matt and Naru exchanged looks. Narumi picked up Viximon and took off running after T.K who had taken off in a run after his new friend.

"T.K, wait up!" Matt called after his brother, and Narumi let out a breath of relief when she saw her brother with the others, minus Mimi.

"Tai!" Narumi exclaimed and the group looked at them as they entered the clearing.

"Narumi, Matt," Tai said, "You to?"

"Yeah, we're here too," Matt said, standing with Tsunomon under his arm.

"No," Tai said, "I meant what your carrying, those things."

"I do not like being called a thing, brother of Naru," Viximon said, huffing in such a cute way Narumi had to restrain herself from hugging the yellow digimon to her chest like a plushy.

"Uh.."

Whatever Tai was going to say was cut off by screaming as Joe ran into the clearing as if something mean was chasing him.

"Joe?" Tai said, slightly surprised.

"You've got to help, this thing, this thing won't leave me alone," Joe said and there was a sound and a tan or maybe it was beige colored creature was on his shoulder. Sort of like a seal, Naru thought.

"Who are you calling a thing, I'm not a thing," the digimon said, "My name is Bukamon."

"Yes, I'm Viximon," the yellow on said from Naru's arms, drawing Joe's shocked look. "Pleasure."

"Hello, I'm Tsunomon, pleasant to meet friends of Matt."

the two digimon, along with Bukamon all joined the others next to T.K.

"And we're Digimon, digital monsters," they chorused.

"I'm going crazy..." Joe muttered to himself but the others heard him.

"You're not going crazy, Joe," Bukamon said. "We're really, really here! All of us are!"

"Yeah, we're too cute to not be real," Koromon said, grinning.

"Yep, and very loyal," Tsunomon said, looking flushed.

"With beautiful hair," Yokomon said, smiling.

"Or with no hair what-so-ever," Motimon added.

"Or funny," Bukamon said, laughing.

"And, adorable," Tokomon said, and Viximon looked between her fellow digimon and back to them.

"I think it's all been said," Viximon said, almost seeming to pout.

"Right," Tai began. "It's nice to meet you, let me introduce everyone. I'm Tai. This is Sora."

"Hi, nice place, well, except for the bugs. We could do without those," Sora said, smiling.

"The self proclaimed cool guy is Matt,"

"No autographs, please," he said in a joking manner.

"This is Joe, and Izzy here is our computer expert. The little guy is... uh.."

"T.K. Just T.K, please," T.K said, smiling at the digimon.

"Last but not least, is Naru, my little sister," Tai finished, and Narumi waved.

"Yo, it's nice to meet you all," she said.

"Hey, what about that girl with the strange hat?" Sora asked.

"That's Mimi," Narumi said. "I don't know, though, she must have been separated like everyone else."

"Hm, maybe she's on a walk?" Izzy suggested. "The plant life around here is unique, maybe she was interested in seeing it?"

"Maybe..." Tai began, but a scream interrupted him.

This one was different from the one Joe had let out upon arriving, this one was of terror and panic.

"That's Mimi!" Naru gasped out.

"Come on," Tai said, and the group took off in the direction of Mimi's cries for help.

"Mimi, where are you!?" Tai shouted and soon they came to a clearing where they could see Mimi running with a digimon at her side.

"It's that big bug," Tai said, eyes wide and the group ducked at the large digimon flew over them.

"That was close," Naru said, Viximon nodding from her arms.

"Agreed," Viximon said.

"It's okay, Mimi, Tanemon is here to protect you," the digimon by Mimi's side said.

Mimi sighed with relief upon seeing them.

"I'm so glad to see you all," the girl said and Sora went over to comfort the frightened girl.

"He's coming back," Naru suddenly said, eyes wide. "We've got to move!"

"Run!" Sora exclaimed and the group took off.

Eventually the two had to take cover in another clearing as the bug digimon zoomed over top of them, barely missing the tops of their heads.

"This is crazy," Sora muttered.

"This is a nightmare!" Joe exclaimed. "My mother is going to want a complete refund, this wasn't part of the camp brochure!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Naru said, sitting up. "I usually have a lot of stamina, but this is just getting nowhere."

Tai gritted his teeth together, standing up and facing the direction Kuwagamon had flown in.

"It's coming back," Yokomon warned.

"That's it, no more running, we fight," Tai said, fist tightened at his side.

"Fight, but how are supposed to do that?" Sora asked.

"She's right, there is no way we can fight that," Matt told him and Izzy nodded.

"Not win at least."

"We continue to run then," Naru said, "Now would be a good time."

They nodded and the eight ran off, hoping for safety.

"I hear water!" Viximon exclaimed.

"That's good, right?" Mimi asked, and they broke out of the wooded area only to stop dead feet from a cliff edge.

"There's nowhere to run!" Sora exclaimed, sounding rather shocked.

"We're doomed," Joe said.

"No, not yet," Tai said.

"Get down," Naru yelled, and Kuwagamon burst out of the trees towards them.

Tai was a few feet in front of them, closer to the edge in order to see if there was a way down. Standing back up they saw Kuwagamon coming back towards them.

"I'll protect you, Tai," Koromon said, jumping forward and blowing some sort of liquid from his mouth at the bigger digimon.

It didn't hurt him, unfortunately, and Koromon was hit out of the air.

Tai looked back shocked and the Kuwagamon kept coming.

"No, not again," he said, though he realized it was heading more for the others. "Naru, everyone look out!"

"Digimon, attack!" Viximon shouted, jumping forward and the others followed after the yellow and white digimon.

"No, Viximon, it's too dangerous!" Naru yelled, worried for her new friend.

The eight of them watched as their digimon were all swatted like flies after giving their best attacks, and they ducked to avoid the bug which collided with some trees and disappeared.

"Yokomon!" Sora called, worried.

Tai picked up Koromon, a look of worry on his face.

"Koromon," he began. "Crazy little guy, why'd you do it? You didn't stand a chance."

"I'm sorry, Tai, it's just I want to make a good impression."

The others gathered their digimon up, trying to wake them up. Soon enough though they were interrupted by Kuwagamon who burst out from the trees.

"Get back," Matt said, and the group was forced to move closer to the edge of the cliff.

"I hate heights," Narumi muttered, shivering slightly.

"Just don't look down," Matt said from her other side.

She hadn't even noticed he was beside her to begin with, but she nodded, knowing it was good advice.

"Alright, get ready to run," Tai told everyone but Koromon shocked them with his words.

"No," the pinkish digimon said. "We stand and fight. It's the only way, we have to fight."

"What?" Tai asked, shocked at the little guys words. "No, it's too dangerous. You'll be killed!"

"I want let you get hurt, Viximon, so don't even think about it," Narumi told her digimon who looked ready to dark out of her arms at anytime.

"No, Koromon is right," Motimon said. "It's time we showed what we were made of!"

"No," Mimi said, clutching onto Tanemon more.

"You'll be hurt," T.K said quietly.

"We have too," Viximon said, "I won't let that big bully hurt Narumi!"

"Viximon is right," Yokomon said.

"Let me go, let me go, let me go..." Tsunomon chanted, trying to get out of Matt's hands.

Soon all the digimon were doing this, and eventually the DigiDestined lost their grip on their partners. The eight of them watched as the digimon raced towards Kuwagamon.

"Go Digimon!" Koromon said and they jumped at the bigger digimon.

"No, it's useless!" Sora yelled.

The others yelled after their own digimon, and suddenly, when they were only a feet or two from Kuwagamon they were all consumed by beams of light. None of them noticed the devices that had fallen from the sky at camp glowing.

"Koromon digivolve to... Agumon!"

"Yokomon digivolve to... Biyomon!"

"Motimon digivolve to... Tentomon!"

"Tsunomon digivolve to... Gabumon!"

"Viximon digivolve to... Renamon!"

"Bukamon digivolve to... Gomamon!"

"Tokomon digivolve to... Patamon!"

"Tanemon digivolve to... Palmon!"

They gasped as the light cleared to reveal the eight digimon. Thy had changed, evolved.

"What happened to the little guys?" Sora asked in awe.

"They've changed," Mimi said.

"They're bigger," Tai added.

"A lot bigger," Narumi said, noticing how much bigger Viximon had gotten compared to the others.

"Now, digimon attack!" Agumon cried and the digimon surged forward.

They were thrown back by the larger digimon, though Renamon landed a bit more gracefully than the others. Probably because of her larger size compared to them, though she was still much smaller then Kuwagamon.

"You asked for it," Agumon said. "No more mister nice digimon."

"Poison Ivy," Palmon called, her hands extending into whip like vines.

"Boom Bubble!" Patamon said, blowing a bubble of what seemed like wind from his mouth.

"Spiral Twister!" Biyomon said, a spiral of green heading towards Kuwagamon.

"Super Shocker!" Tentomon cried, electricity coming from him.

"Stand back everyone, Pepper Breath!" Agumon called, a ball of fire exploding from his mouth.

"Blue Blaster!" Gabumon called, what looked like water-ice coming from his mouth to strike Kuwagamon.

Last, Renamon jumped, curling her furred body into itself before calling out, "Diamond Storm!"

Kuwagamon took a large step back, obviously hurt from the attacks.

"All together, now," Agumon instructed and the digimon grouped together and they all attacked at once.

Kuwagamon screeched in pain and fell back.

"Wow," Naru said, "They did it."

"They made vaporware out of them," Izzy said.

"Told you we could do it," Agumon said as the Digimon rushed back to their partners.

Narumi almost jumped as Renamon appeared almost like a ghost beside her. Renamon chuckled, smiling down at the young girl. Narumi looked up at the now taller than her digimon in awe, and grinned, hugging the fox around the waist – Narumi being only 4'9 came just barely past Renamon's waist.

"You did it," Naru said, "You're not Viximon anymore though, huh?"

Renamon nodded, impressed her partner had realized this so quickly.

"You are right, Naru, I am now Renamon. This is my rookie form," she explained, her voice much more mature but still the same in sound as before. It just sounded like she was older now.

"Huh, he's not gone!"

"Tai, watch out," Agumon said and the two moved just in time to avoid being crushed or speared by Kuwagamon.

Naru let go of Renamon as the sound of Kuwagamon returning for more alerted her to the danger.

"I was hoping he was gone for good," Sora said as they backed closer to the edge.

"Hold on," Renamon said, wrapping her arms around Narumi as she realized Kuwagamon had fractured the ground, making a large chunk of the cliff break up.

"Oh, not this again," Narumi muttered as the land gave way and the eight of them, plus the digimon were sent towards the ocean.


	4. A Well Deserved Rest

**AN: So, the longest chapter yet. I can't say they'll all but this long, but I hope you enjoy it. Someone asked if Narumi would ever go back to the Elemental Nations, and while she will temporarily a few times throughout the story, that's not for a while. Right now it's mostly focused on the digimon world and Narumi's first adventure. **

**Right now she's ten, going on eleven (being born in October). So there also won't be much romance either, though there will be some hints and scenes with fluff for lack of better term. **

* * *

**Child of Balance**

**Chapter 4: A Well Deserved Rest. **

It was during the fall that Naru realized she hated falling a lot more than heights themselves.

It helped though that she wasn't alone, Renamon had a strong hold on her the entire time, only letting go once they stopped falling. This didn't mean she wanted to ever repeat the experience again.

Narumi blinked upon landing. She had expected to hit water, but instead it was softer. Looking down she saw fish, what looked like hundred if not thousands of different colored fish. Colors she thought impossible, at least back home it would be impossible.

"You're alright, aren't you Narumi?" Renamon asked, and Naru could actually see concern in the fox-like digimon's icy blue eyes.

"Yeah," she answered. "I'm fine."

Renamon nodded, looking back towards the cliff-side only for her eyes to widen. Kuwagamon was now falling, tumbling towards the ocean after them.

"Hold on!" She yelled, alerting everyone to the impending danger, and Gomamon told the fish to swim faster.

The eight DigiDestined screamed as Kuwagamon caused a tidal wave which swept them all onto an island, or maybe beach was a better description. Naru groaned as she came to a stop, Renamon not far away from her.

"What...was that?" Joe asked, breathing deeply as he slowly stood from his knees where he'd come to a stop.

"Naru, are you alright sis?" Tai asked, looking over at his sister worried.

"Fine," she said, standing.

"So, I take it you're not Bukamon?" She heard Joe ask, and everyone turned their attention to the now blue and white seal-like digimon.

"Right, I was Bukamon, now I'm Gomamon," Gomamon said happily.

"And I was Koromon, but now I'm Agumon," Agumon told everyone, though he was looking mostly at Tai.

"I was Yokomon, but now I am Biyomon."

Tentomon introduced himself next, and then Gabumon, Patamon and Palmon. Renamon went last, though Naru was pretty sure she did that on purpose. She could already see a bit of a personality difference between Viximon and Renamon.

Renamon was much more mature, oddly so for a rookie digimon if the others were anything to go by, and more on the reserved side, where as Viximon was a bit more hyper and willing to wear her emotions out in the open.

Renamon was still kind though, and treated the others no differently than she had as Viximon.

"It's all because we digivolved," Agumon said.

"Like an evolution," Izzy said. "They became more powerful, makes me wonder if they can digivolve more than once?"

"You're right, possibly we could digivolve again, but it's not that simple," Renamon said, drawing everyone's attention. "When we digivolve it's because of you. We share your energy in order to digivolve, it's much harder to do without your help."

"So we helped you change!" T.K exclaimed, and Patamon nodded, smiling as he sat on T.K's hat covered head.

"Yep!" Patamon returned.

"So that thing... it was a digimon as well?" Tai asked, and Agumon nodded.

"Yes, just as we're digimon, so was Kuwagamon."

"Some digimon aren't the nicest," Biyomon said, almost sadly.

"This is crazy," Matt said, shaking his head. "So what are we going to do?"

"We should try and contact someone," Joe said. "If only there was a phone of some sort around. We could call the coast guard, or our parents."

"If you haven't noticed, Joe, we're kind of on an island," Narumi said, sighing. "We don't even know if we're on earth anymore."

"Where else could we be?" Mimi asked.

"Viximon said something about the digi-world... I'm just not sure we're anywhere near our home anymore."

"We have to try," Sora said. "We should go look around, find somewhere to camp for the night. It should be getting dark soon."

"If it even gets dark around here," Matt muttered.

"That would be an impossibility," Izzy said. "Not to mention unnatural."

"And this is natural?" Joe asked.

"Well, we should get moving. We'll get nowhere by sitting around," Tai said, turning to leave.

"Where are you going, Tai?" Naru asked her brother and he turned, grinning.

"Up on that cliff, that's where I saw the ocean," he replied.

"The ocean?" Matt asked, surprised.

"I don't know guys, I think we should find a cave or somewhere to stay. We keep a watch out for anyone coming to find us, they have to notice we're missing..."

"Joe, come on, everyone is leaving without us!" Gomamon called, interrupting Joe's rant.

Joe opened his eyes, turned and gaped at the fact everyone was leaving.

"Wait, wait for me!" he called, and ran after the others.

* * *

"This is strange," Naru muttered, trying to figure out why there were phone booths on a beach.

Everyone else, besides Sora and Izzy seemed to just accept it, though she was sure they were all wondering the same thing.

"This number is only real in another reality, please hang up and try again," the ladies voice on the other end said and she sighed, hanging up the phone and turning around to look at her digimon.

"Any ideas why there are phone booths in the middle of a beach, Renamon?" she asked, hoping the vixen would know.

Renamon sighed, uncrossing her arms as she did so.

"I'm sorry, Naru, I don't know. I've never been to this part of the world before," she said and Naru nodded, exiting the booth to join the others who had abandoned theirs as well.

Well, all except Joe who was trying each booth in an attempt at getting one of them to work.

"No luck?" Tai asked, and Narumi scoffed.

"No," she grumbled. "Is it just me or is this whole phone business giving anyone else the feeling as if we're in a Twilight Zone episode?"

"Yeah," Sora muttered. "The only thing I'm grateful for is the fact we have the digimon, and of course we're together. I don't know what we'd do if we ended up here alone."

Mimi shivered, and said, "Perish the though, I'd simply die if it weren't for all of you and Palmon being with me."

No one mentioned that with digimon like Kuwagamon running around that was a very likely possibility.

"Precarious," Izzy began, looking over to where Joe still tried to use the phones. "I wonder, is Joe always like this?"

Narumi chuckled, sitting down on one side of T.K, who was playing in the sand with Patamon.

"I don't know Joe that well, but from what I do know he's a bit neurotic at times," she said.

"Neurotic or not," Matt said from where he stood, a foot or so away, on Naru's other side. Renamon standing behind the blonde. "No matter how many times he uses those phones, not one of them is going to work."

"I can't sit here any longer," Tai said, standing up. "I have to find a way home for us, especially for Narumi. I don't want her anywhere near more digimon like Kuwagamon."

"Hey, wait!" exclaimed Matt. "Don't you think we all want to get home, you're not the only one with a younger sibling in danger by staying here. We should stay put, even if we can't make any calls maybe we can still receive them."

"I'm not little," Naru said, glaring at her brother. "I can take care of myself. Or do I have to remind you that I can kick your butt easily."

Tai looked at the blonde and grumbled, looking a tad embarrassed.

"That's different, I don't think marital arts is going to do anything against digimon like Kuwagamon."

"Tai, I'm apart of this as well," Naru said, sighing. "I know you're just looking out for me, but I'm a big girl now. I'm not seven years old anymore. I'm nearly eleven, only a year younger than everyone else..."

"Besides T.K, and myself," Izzy intercepted. "I'm eleven as well, Narumi."

"Naru is fine, Izzy," Naru replied smiling.

"Oh, and don't forget about me," Mimi said, smiling. "I'm only eleven as well. I'm glad I'm not the only one."

"Yeah, and I'm not as little as I look either," T.K added.

Tai sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"The point is, save the coddling for Kari," Naru finished, smiling at him.

Tai smiled slightly at his sisters antics and nodded. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. Naru had always acted a little older than her years, well besides for the pranks she'd enjoyed when she was younger.

Sometimes she still did, though, after nearly being expelled in the fourth grade for setting a bucket with paint balloons above the door for the Principle, she'd cooled down a lot. Personally, Tai thought the principle had overreacted a bit.

"I still think sitting here is a waste of time," Tai said.

"I'm going to stay here and wait in case anyone calls," Matt said, not agreeing with the goggle headed boy. "Do what you want, but I think everyone could use a little rest."

It was true, everyone looked exhausted. Mimi and T.K were practically groaning in exhaustion as they sat on the sands with their equally as exhausted digimon.

Naru didn't look much better, even with her stamina. Renamon, to his surprise, also looked tired.

He didn't know why but the tall vulpine digimon just gave off this air of strength, part of him found it hard to believe she'd be as tired as the rest. She had seemed to do more damage than the others fighting Kuwagamon with her Diamond Storm.

Come to think of it, he was pretty tired himself.

"I'm getting pretty hungry too," Izzy added, and Tai nodded.

"That's because we haven't eaten anything all day," Tai said.

"That's a problem," Naru said. "Does anyone have any food?"

"I don't," Sora said, reaching into her pockets. "All I have is...huh"

Sora had pulled out a medium silvery-gray device, the same device like the ones that had fallen from the sky before.

"It's one of those devices," Sora said, and everyone searched themselves for one.

Sure enough, each found one. All were the same, there didn't seem to be a difference in them at all.

"We all have one," Matt noted, looking from his to each of them and then back to his own. "They must be important if we still have them, but what are they for?"

"If anyone has a pink one, I'm glad to trade," Mimi muttered loudly as she looked where her own was clipped to her large light brown bag.

"I don't know what they are, or what they're for," Izzy began, turning his over in his hand multiple times to get a good look. "But I may be able to figure it out, if only I could take mine apart and..."

He was interrupted by his own stomach growling and he grimaced.

"After I've eaten something, I'm starving."

"We all are," Renamon said, standing. "I can try and catch some fish."

"Wait, don't we have any food on us?" Sora asked, looking at each of them.

"Mimi, what do you have in that big bag of yours?" Matt asked. "It can't all be clothes and other girly things."

"Huh?" Mimi gasped softly, blinking before she pulled her bag around and opened it, digging through it. "Let's see... I have this, and oh, some cooking fuel... a compass, one of those knifes with all the things on them, a flashlight.. some batteries... and some other personal feminine things of course."

Everyone gaped at the most girly girl out of the group. They had expected her bag to be filled with extra clothes, make-up and other feminine things.

Instead it was filled with stuff that would help anyone survive in the wilderness as well. It would definitely be helpful, unfortunately no food.

"Why didn't you say you had a compass before?" Matt asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

Mimi just laughed, smiling serenely.

"I thought it would be fun to get however far without it, but mostly it's broken!"

They all groaned, some wondering how Mimi could say that so cheerfully.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any food either. I only have my emergency pack and that's some first aid; bandages, medicine, but that's all," Sora said, having gone through her hip pouch (or maybe fanny pack was a better term for it).

"I, of course, have my laptop, a digital camera, oh and I have a small cell phone too," Izzy said. "Unfortunately not one of them had worked since we arrived here. I'm trying to fix that, though at this rate it may take me a while."

"I can't believe you brought all that computer stuff to summer camp, it's supposed to be a time to relax," Tai said, crouching down to get a better look at the stuff.

"I happen to find computer stuff very relaxing," Izzy countered. "What do you have, then?"

Tai reached into his back pocket, bringing out a telescope.

"I have my mini-telescope," he said, laughing nervously. "I guess that's it, besides for that weird device."

"I don't have any food either, sorry guys," Matt said, hands still in his pocket as he stood next to his brother.

"I don't have my bag on me," Naru muttered, annoyed. "I didn't think to grab it, but I do have a few bandages, rubber bands, some gum, and two chocolate bars. Thankfully, they didn't melt."

"Chocolate," Tai said, looking at the pile his sister had pulled from her pockets, or more like the chocolate bars in the pile.

Agumon was also staring, and she was sure they were beginning to drool.

"Don't even think about it Tai," Narumi said, snatching the chocolate up. "There are eight of us, and only two chocolate bars. If we eat them we have to split them as evenly as we can."

Naru sighed.

"There isn't enough to fill any of us up though," she muttered.

"At least there is that option, though," Matt said, and T.K grinned.

"Hey, look what I have. I have enough that Naru won't have to worry about the chocolate bars not filling us up, and I don't care to share," T.K said, opening his backpack which was filled with snack foods.

"Awesome," Tai said.

"You'll share with you're sweet Mimi, won't you?" Mimi asked, crouching down beside T.K.

"You don't have to be so nice, Mimi, I'm happy to share," he said, looking over at his brother. "Isn't she cute?"

"Forget it," Matt muttered, looking away and Narumi laughed at the two brothers antics. "Hey, maybe we could use the cooking fuel to start a signal fire?"

"Or we could barbeque some phones," Sora muttered, hands wrapped around her knees. "I think we should take Renamon up on her offer. Fish sounds great right about now."

"Yeah," Tai said, looking back to where Joe was still trying to get someone on the phone. He was about to make a wisecrack when he noticed the white bag Joe had. "Wait, Joe has the emergency food!"

"What?" Matt asked, shocked.

"Yeah, Joe has the bag with the emergency food," Tai said, and everyone looked over to see Joe did have the bag with the emergency food.

"Joe!" Tai yelled, trying to get Joe's attention. "Hey, Joe, you have all the food!"

"I'm on the phone, don't you know it's rude to interrupt someone who's on the telephone!" Joe shouted back once he turned to look at the group.

"Joe, your bag..." Naru trailed off.

"Oh, this?" Joe asked, glancing quickly at the bag slung over his shoulders. "I just brought this to bring to Mimi, it was her turn to carry the bag."

Taking the bag off, Joe moved to stand beside the dark strawberry blonde.

"You have to take more responsibility, Mimi," Joe said. "It's your turn to carry the bag today."

"But that bags too heavy for me," Mimi complained.

"You never see me complaining do you..."

"Hey, hey, guys, let's not fight," Tai said, smiling. "All that matters now is that we have food, so let's sit down and enjoy a nice meal."

Everyone nodded, and Naru smiled at Renamon who had come back to her side.

"Thanks Renamon, for offering. We may need to take you up on it if we're here longer than the food last," Naru said and Renamon smiled lightly.

"It isn't a problem, Naru, I'm glad to help."

"Now, let's think about this rationally," Joe began, drawing Naru's attention back to the group. "There are eight people in the group, times three days, times three meals and that gives us enough food for..."

"Seventy-two meals," Izzy said.

"Right, so split evenly, that leaves enough food for..."

"About three days," Izzy said, "Two, depending on the size of the portion we split it into."

"Right," Joe finished. "I guess you knew that, though."

"Wait, we didn't add in the digimon," Naru said, and Sora sighed.

"She's right. If we add in the digimon we only have enough food for about... half a hour, if we're lucky. Ten minutes minimum," Sora said.

"No," Renamon said. "Don't worry about us, we can find food for ourselves."

"Are you sure, Renamon?" Naru asked. "I don't mind sharing my share with you..."

Renamon shook her head.

"No, you need your strength just as much as we do."

"Renamon is right," Gabumon said. "We digimon can hunt and forage for ourselves."

"You do?" Sora asked, still unsure (as were the others).

"Yes, there is no need to include us," Tentomon said.

"Biyomon?" Sora questioned and the bird-like digimon smiled.

"Oh, of course. We'll be fine finding food," Biyomon said, and the digimon nodded.

"Alright, then let's go about dividing this between the eight of us..."

"This is great, I could eat dozens of these..."

The group turned at the sound of food being eaten, and Tai's voice. Joe glowered at them.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" Joe asked, and Tai stopped eating to look at Joe.

"I'm glad we never hear you complaining," he muttered and Joe shook in annoyance.

"You people make me crazy!" he exclaimed, and the others chuckled lightly at the boys outburst.

It was only seconds later that Renamon stood up, her gaze on the ocean. Biyomon followed her example moments later.

"Renamon, what wrong?" Naru asked.

"Biyomon?" Sora inquired.

"Something is coming," Renamon said, eyes narrowed.

"It's trouble alright," Biyomon muttered, and they scrambled up as water shot up from the sand and took out the phone booths one at a time.

Leaving the bags on the ground the eight retreated against the sandbank – or whatever you'd call a steep incline on a beach.

"What is that?" Matt asked as something shot out of the sand onto the beach.

"Shellmon," Tentomon said.

"Shellmon, what's that?"

"Something very unpleasant," Tentomon answered.

"Great, we get attacked by two digimon in one day," Joe said, "It couldn't get any worse."

Naru groaned.

"You just had to say that," she muttered.

"Everyone, up here," Joe said, as he began to climb the incline only for Shellmon, which was a giant shellfish like creature, to blast the area above Joe with water making him loose his grip a fall.

Gomamon tried to help, but Shellmon stopped him with another water blast which hit him from his spot in the ocean.

"Renamon, you up to it?" Naru asked, fist clinched, but realizing the digimon were the only ones who stood a chance.

It didn't mean she wasn't worried, she was scared to death that they would be hurt. She realized there wasn't a choice though.

"I'll be fine," Renamon said, though she was a bit unsure.

She was rather strong, for a rookie, even she realized that, but she could still be weakened by exhaustion. She wasn't sure how effective any of their attacks would be, minus Agumon.

"Digimon attack," Agumon called.

Nonetheless she would try. The digimon rushed in.

"Pepper Breath!" Agumon called, shooting the ball of fire from his mouth which collided with the Shellmon's face.

"Spiral Twister...huh?" Biyomon groaned as her attack fizzled out before even leaving her.

"Super Shocker!" Tentomon tried only for the same result, if not worse.

"Poison Ivy," Palmon tried, but her attack didn't even make a movement. "Oh no..."

"Let me try," Renamon mumbled, taking a running jump, curling her body in and then out as she used her Diamond Storm. "Diamond Storm!"

It was a lot weaker than usual, though it did work, but she could feel the exhaustion just doing it once left her with as she landed gracefully back on the ground.

"It's not good," she muttered. "We're just...ahh!"

Renamon was interrupted by Shellmon blasting them all back with his water, though he swatted Patamon away with one of the green things on his head.

"No, Renamon!" Narumi cried, running to where Renamon had landed roughly on the ground. "Are you alright?"

The others had done the same in concern to their digimon, though Agumon seemed to be in the best shape.

"I don't understand, why is it only Agumon who is able to fight?" Izzy questioned.

"We're just too tired," Biyomon said, speaking for them all.

Izzy's eyes widened.

"That's it, Agumon is the only one who ate anything. The rest are to tired and hungry to have any energy left to do their attacks."

"I was afraid this would happen," Renamon said as she got to one knee with Narumi's help.

"Agumon!" Tai called, turning back to the fight. "It's up to us now."

"Than give me a diversion," Agumon called back, though soon regretted it since Tai ran towards Shellmon, trying to draw his attention.

"No, Tai it's too dangerous!" Naru and Sora both yelled after the boy.

Naru tried to run after her brother when she saw Shellmon grab the boy in one of his green things, but her arm was grabbed by not only Renamon, but another gloved hand. Looking behind her she was startled to find it was Matt.

"Let me go, I have to help him!" she exclaimed, yanking her arm from Renamon's and trying to yank out of Matt's grip.

"Tai would kill me if anything happened to you," Matt said, and Naru glared fiercely, blue eyes meeting blue.

Narumi gasped when Matt pulled her closer, slightly behind him as she felt cold water, that felt more like stones were hitting her, blasted against her, and the others, knocking them back.

"T.K, get down!" She heard him call and barely notice Gabumon had helped Patamon protect the youngest in the group.

"You alright?" Matt asked, and Naru nodded slowly.

"Thanks," she muttered, slightly annoyed.

"Look!" Sora cried, and Naru turned, gasping at the orange-ish light coming from Agumon who had been crushed under Shellmon's foot.

"He's digivolving," Renamon said, slightly awed.

"Agumon," Naru muttered.

"Agumon digivolve to... Greymon!"

Narumi gasped as the light cleared to show Agumon was no longer medium size by any means, but as large, if not larger than Shellmon, and looked like a large orange, blue and brown dinosaur.

It was familiar, as if she'd seen it somewhere before, but at the moment she wasn't sure where. Naru sighed in relief when she saw Tai was let go, but she felt worried for Greymon, but he seemed to be holding his own well.

"What were you thinking?" Naru demanded, glaring at her brother once he was close enough.

"He needed a diversion," Tai said, blinking and Naru walked over and whacked him over the top of the head.

Matt chuckled, ignoring the glare Tai shot him.

Everyone watched as Greymon got Shellmon up into the air.

"Nova Blast!" Greymon roared, and the flames connected with the wild digimon and shot it miles out to sea.

"Yeah, go Greymon!" Tai cheered, pumping his fist in the air as Greymon turned and reverted back to Agumon.

The orange dino-digimon smiled before collapsing onto the ground. Gasping Tai ran towards the exhausted Dino.

"Agumon, that was great," Tai said, though it was obvious he was worried.

"Tai... do you have any... food?" Agumon asked and Tai laughed.

"Sure buddy."

* * *

"We should move," Naru said after looking away from the digimon who were gathered around and eating some of the food. "Shellmon could come back."

"She's right, he wasn't destroyed," Izzy said. "We should attempt to find more people, it's likely there are some around if there were phone booths on this beach."

"What happens when it gets dark?" Mimi asked.

"We'll have to figure that out when it happens," Tai said. "I'm sure we'll be able to find somewhere to sleep for a few hours."

Everyone nodded.

"Right, then we leave now," Naru said. "The sooner we do the more daylight we have to burn."

Gathering everything up, the eight kids and digimon headed off in a direction chosen on a whim. Each of the DigiDestined a bit more confident than they were before, though all still weary of this new world.

* * *

Days passed, and they had searched practically the entire island for any signs of life. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no one but them, and some digimon with attitude problems.

As long as they stayed clear of them though, they didn't seem too interested in them. The few that did had to go against their digimon, who on a full stomach could handle the threats they'd come across.

Not to mention Agumon could turn into Greymon if it was really needed. So far it hadn't, not yet at least. There had been a close call with two Monochromon, which looked to be another Dino-type digimon with very sharp looking teeth.

Narumi wouldn't forget how the digimon reacted when she'd suggested – more like quipped/asked - if it was mating season. Apparently digimon didn't have mating seasons like animals of any kind, and if they did theirs were clueless about the term.

It made her wonder, if digimon didn't reproduce the way animals and humans did then how were they born? Or created?

"At least these seats are comfy," Mimi said, drawing Naru from her thoughts.

Looking around Naru leaned back against one of the seats, Renamon beside her and groaned. She felt as if she hadn't eaten in days, but she'd always eaten a lot.

She burned those calories with how active she was. Her mother would say she was a bottomless pit. Especially when it came to ramen, one of the things Naru was glad to say her mother could partially cook.

As long as someone was there to make sure Yuuko Kamiya didn't try and get creative and simply cooked the noodles. Narumi had learned a long time ago her mother was a deadly cook, and she meant that literally.

Naru listened to her brother and the others talking about the oddity of finding the trolly car on the bridge connected island on the lake. Personally, Naru was just happy to be able to rest in a rather comfy area.

"Can we eat now?" Tentomon asked.

"Yeah, I'm hungry as well," Sora said and everyone nodded.

"We'll get some fruits and berries," Gabumon said, and Biyomon and Patamon nodded.

"I'll try and catch some fish," Izzy said.

Renamon stood up.

"I will help," she said, and Izzy nodded.

"Great, it will be helpful in case my fishing is less than productive," Izzy said.

"I guess we'll work on the fire," Tai said, scratching the back of his head. "Naru maybe you should stay..."

Narumi stood up.

"I'll help, besides who else can stop you from making something as bad as mom," Naru said, smirking slightly.

Tai blanched, a disgusted look on his face as Naru passed him and headed outside.

"Low blow, sis, low blow!" he called after her.

"You're mother's cooking?" Sora questioned.

Even though she'd known Tai since they were kids, living in the same area – come to think of it they all had at one point – she didn't know much about his parents.

"Don't ask," Tai said miserably.

* * *

It was maybe half a hour later that Naru stood with Sora, Tai and Matt after getting the wood together to start a fire. She was currently crushing up herbs she had Palmon help her find for the fish. Naru didn't pretend to be a wonderful cook, but she was pretty good in her opinion.

"Well, we've got the fire ready, but what about the fire?" Matt asked.

"No one has a lighter, huh?" Sora asked and everyone present shook their heads.

"Don't worry, we'll just do this," Agumon said, taking a breath. "Pepper Breath!"

"Great job, you're the man Agumon," Tai said, grinning and Agumon turned away a little embarrassed.

"Hey, look at all the fish we've got!" T.K exclaimed as he ran towards them with Izzy and Renamon appeared like a ninja at Naru's side.

All three had a fair few fish.

"Lay the fish down on the large leafs," Naru instructed, sitting down the crushed up herbs (which were crushed up in a makeshift bowl, which was really the hollow half of a coconut-like fruit Biyomon had brought her).

"Is that safe?" Joe asked, coming over. "We don't know what any of these plants are."

Naru nodded.

"I had Palmon help me, don't worry they're all safe. I tried them already, and I'm feeling fine. The leaf is also completely safe, I even rinsed it in the lake if you're that worried."

"Wait, you did what?" Tai asked, eyes wide. "You could have died, they could have been poisonous or..."

"Don't worry Tai, I was with her the whole time. All those herbs are completely safe," Palmon interrupted and Tai sighed.

"Mimi, can I borrow that knife of yours?" Narumi asked.

Mimi blinked and nodded, digging through her bag and handing the knife to her.

"Thanks, I'll have this ready in a few minutes, then we can cook them," Naru said, grinning in a fox-like manner.

"How did you learn to do all this?" T.K asked as he crouched beside the girl to watch her work on the fish.

"Hm, oh I went camping and fishing with my dad growing up. He doesn't have a lot time anymore, but he taught me how to cook the fish we caught, and I just sort of picked up how to cook. I love to eat, so it makes sense I can cook something that taste good," Naru told the younger boy with a smile.

T.K looked surprised, and looked down forlornly, as if remembering something from the past.

"Sounds fun," he said, and then grinned up at her. "Can I help?"

Naru smiled, and nodded.

Matt watched the two interact with interest. At first he didn't think they'd get along too well, after T.K poked her with a stick and asked if she was dead. He'd not interacted much with the slightly younger girl, they weren't in the same classes in school.

At summer camp was where they had the most interaction but during this whole adventure he'd learned more about her than ever before. He was happy T.K was getting along with the girl though, he'd not seen him this happy since before their parents separated.

About five minutes, give or take, later T.K approached him with a fish stuck on a stick. He had to admit, even without being cooked yet it smelled rather good.

"Here Matt," T.K said, handing the stick to him and Matt accepted it with a small smile.

"Thanks squirt," Matt said. "Come on, we'll head back to the fire and cook these fish."

"It's times like this I wish we had a microwave," Tai said as he held his fish by the tail over the fire.

"Me two, you're going to loose that hand trying to do it like that," Matt said, bending down and placing the stick close to the fire to cook.

"How did you come up with that?" Tai asked, and Matt shook his head.

"It's common sense," Naru said coming over and snatching the fish from Tai. "Don't you remember those trips we took with dad?"

"Yeah, but he had a frying pan and stove thing he used," he said and Naru sighed.

"Not always," she reminded, sticking a stick through the mouth of Tai's fish and handing it back to him.

Tai laughed nervously, and nodded.

"I guess, it's been a long time though," Tai said. "Thanks sis."

The group sat around the fire, waiting for the many fish to finish cooking.

"Hmm, smells good," Mimi said, looking longingly at the cooking fish.

"It really does," Sora said, and the others nodded.

"Thanks," Naru said, looking down slightly flushed.

* * *

"Hey look, Patamon's tired," T.K said after night had fallen and they'd finished eating dinner.

Looking around they noticed all of the digimon were, some already asleep.

"Yeah, I think we all are," Tai said, yawning.

"I think we should take turns standing guard," Izzy said, nodding. "Like we have been for the last three days."

"But who will stand guard first?"

"We should take it in shifts, an hour or two each?" Narumi suggested.

"I'm really tired, but I need a warm blanket to get to sleep," Mimi said, and Tai snickered in Gabumon's direction.

"Watch out Gabumon, Mimi might sneak up on you and snatch your fur. If you feel a sharp tug in the night it might be her ready to cut off your fur," he said, tugging on the digimon's fur.

"Stop that Tai, it's not funny!" Gabumon said, pulling his fur free as he moved away from Tai.

"Hey, Gabumon told you to stop!" Matt yelled, pushing Tai.

"Hey, you can't tell me what to do," Tai said, gritting his teeth as the two began to fight more seriously only for Naru to get in-between them.

"Stop it, you're both acting like idiots," she sneered at both of them, eyes narrowed and bright.

They back off, still glaring at one another.

"Look, Tai you take first watch, then Matt, Izzy and Joe can finish up the night," Narumi said, and no one complained.

"Agreed," Joe said, adjusting his glasses. "I think we should all get back to the bus and get some sleep now."

Everyone nodded and Tai and Agumon were left to keep watch, while the others went back to trolly car to sleep.

* * *

"Gabumon, go lay down beside my brother," Matt muttered, as he opened his eyes from where he sat with his arms crossed and head bowed beside the digimon.

"Huh, why Matt?" Gabumon asked, surprised.

"Because your fur is making me sweat, just do it," he said, and Gabumon smiled.

"I see, you want me to keep him warm," he said and Matt stood up, shrugging.

"Whatever."

Gabumon stood and walked over to T.K who slept on the seat about three seats down from where Narumi slept against Renamon who was sat up with her head bowed as if sleeping.

In reality, Renamon was simply resting, or meditating could be another word for it.

Naru herself was simply dozing, not quite in a deep sleep yet. So when Matt passed where she was sleeping to get off the bus and T.K woke up long enough to thank him she saw how shocked Matt seemed to be by T.K's words.

She wouldn't admit it, out loud at least, but the slight blush of embarrassment on his cheeks was kind of cute.

* * *

"Tai, don't fall asleep," Agumon said. "You don't want to fall asleep on night watch."

"Yeah," Tai said, standing. "I'm going to go splash water on my face. I'll be right back."

Walking over to the lake, Tai was surprised to find Matt standing a few feet away after he stood up from splashing water on his face.

"Matt?" he questioned, blinking I surprise. "What are you doing out. Didn't think I could handle it?"

"I... couldn't sleep."

"Why not?"

Matt sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry for earlier. I didn't mean to get so mad, it's just being here and having to keep an eye on T.K."

"Do you two even live in the same house?" Tai asked, confused on why the other boy would care to watch out for his younger brother, as if he wasn't used to it.

"Not anymore, we're half-brothers and our parents separated some time ago so we don't get to see each other much," Matt said.

Tai blinked.

"That makes sense," he muttered and Matt took off, startling the goggle wearing boy. "What was that about?"

"You hit a sore spot," Naru said, coming up behind her brother and Agumon.

"Naru, what are you doing up?" Tai asked, turning around. "You should be asleep."

"I couldn't sleep," she said. "I figured I'd come see where Matt was."

Tai sighed and they both fell silent upon hearing Matt's harmonica playing.

"What a wonderful sound," Gabumon said as he approached Matt, though only Matt was around to hear him.

Tai, Agumon and Naru could see the digimon approaching Matt from the little bridged island, though.

"I didn't know he could play so well," Naru muttered, and Tai sat down in front of the fire.

"Maybe to a St. Bernard with a horn on it's forehead," he muttered and Naru laughed, realizing he must be referring to Gabumon who sat beside Matt across the lake.

Tai gasped as the stick he was poking the fire with broke and a fiery piece was shot from the fire.

"Watch out for the fire sparks," he said.

Naru watched, and gasped as the island began to shake. The water began to churn and whirl and a large sea dragon of sorts broke from the surface before them.

"Naru," Renamon called as she jumped from the shaking trolly car roof she'd been laying on, watching the full moon, towards her partner.

"Renamon, what is that?" she asked, eyes wide.

"That's Seadramon," Renamon answered, eyes narrowed at the sea serpent.

Naru looked back as the others all exited the bus, looking shocked and as scared as Naru was sure everyone was. She gasped sharply as the land bridge connecting the little island to the main land across the lake broke into little pieces as Seadramon began moving the island across the lake with him.

"Oh, I just know we're going to be eaten!" Mimi yelled, terrified as the island began to move.

"Oh no," Naru muttered, looking around her and gulping.

She really didn't like this.

"Hold on tight everyone, we're going for a ride," Agumon warned everyone.

"He's pulling us by his tail, it's possible he doesn't even realize we're here," Izzy said, coming to get a closer look.

"Perhaps not, Seadramon isn't the brightest sea dragon in the digi-world after all," Tentomon added. "We should be fine as long as he doesn't notice us."

"Don't be so sure of that, Tentomon," Renamon said as Seadramon came to a sudden halt.

Tentomon jumped forward a bit, groaning.

"You guys jinxed us!" he cried.

"Us, what did we do?" Agumon asked.

Suddenly the ground Tentomon stood on moved, tossing him up into the air and the others realized Tentomon hadn't been standing on the ground but a large red thing.

"His tail," Naru said, eyes wide. "The big red thing was his tail!"

"Great," Tai groaned.

Seadramon slammed his tail onto the island twice, shaking it and throwing the DigiDestined and their digimon to the ground. T.K, being the smallest was also the most unlucky as the shaking and throwing made him fall into the lake with a splash.

"Hel..help!" T.K cried, trying to not panic and stay above water.

"T.K!" Matt yelled from where he stood at the ruined bridge.

"T.K, hold on," Patamon called, trying to think of a way to get his partner from the water.

"Oh no, Seadramon is coming back, and he doesn't look happy!" Sora yelled and Naru gasped, looking from the digimon rushing towards them to where T.K was trying to swim back to the island.

He'd never make it, either he didn't know how to swim or he didn't know how to swim well.

"T.K, hold on I'm coming," Naru cried, running and jumping into the lake just as Seadramon began to move it again with what she assumed was his head.

"NARU!" Tai yelled, shocked his sister would do that.

It wasn't surprising she wanted to help T.K, what surprised him was she actually got into the water. She didn't go around advertising it but she wasn't a very good swimmer. In fact she was almost afraid to try after she'd nearly drowned when she was just learning how to swim.

Renamon was equally as shocked.

"Narumi," the digimon muttered, watching as the girl swam a bit frantically at first towards T.K who was calmed down if only a little.

"T.K, Naru!" They all heard Matt yell from across the lake and then he too jumped into the lake, swimming towards the two. "Hold on."

Gabumon jumped in after him, swimming after Matt, who was swimming as fast as he could to help Naru get T.K back to the island.

"I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but we're going to crash into the shore!" Joe warned.

"Oh, this is going to ruin my hair!" Mimi cried.

Tai was too worried about his sister to care about any of that, and he turned to Agumon.

"Agumon, digivolve!"

"I've been trying, Tai, but it won't work..." Agumon trailed off, looking down mournfully.

There was a shock as the island collided with some sort of structures in the lake, making it come to a stop.

"Great, he left us stranded in the middle of the lake," Tai said.

"I don't suppose we could trick him to take us back," Izzy muttered.

"He's attacking," Sora said, and the digimon stepped up.

"Come on, let's show him not to pick on those smaller than him," Biyomon said, and they nodded.

"Spiral Twister!" Biyomon cried.

"Boom..Bubble!"

"Poison Ivy!" Palmon cried, unfortunately it fell short of reaching the large sea dragon digimon.

"Super Shocker!" Tentomon exclaimed next.

"Pepper Breath!"

"Power Paw!" Renamon said, taking Agumon's attack as a distraction, to attack Seadramon with what looked like an inferno of blue flames around her hands and feet. After this she jumped back, curled her body in and released a Diamond Storm for extra measure.

This stunned Seadramon enough to force him back some.

"Guys!" Matt called and Tai and them moved to that side as the blond boy got closer to the island with Naru and T.K.

"I'll help," Gomamon said, jumping into the water and racing over. Naru and Matt moved T.K to Gomamon's back.

"You can take him from here, Gomamon, then come help Naru," Matt said, and Naru frowned from his side.

"I can make it back on my own, Matt," she said, "Besides you're right here."

Matt smirked slightly, and once he saw Gomamon had reached the island with T.K he removed his arm from her waist, which he'd placed there on instinct to help her swim, knowing she was tired and coming to realize she wasn't the best swimmer.

"Hey ugly, after me!" Matt shouted, swimming back towards the shore.

Naru gasped in shock as Gomamon grabbed her by the arm, and began pulling her away. She noticed Seadramon racing after the blond boy and shook Gomamon off.

"Matt!" she yelled, swimming after him only to stop when Seadramon shot through the surface, Matt wrapped tightly in it's tail.

Matt yelled as he was constricted by the tail, which was slowly crushing him.

"Gabumon!" Matt yelled.

"Yamato Ishida..." Naru trailed off, seething under her breath as she swam closer. "Hey, let him go you ugly sea snake!"

She began splashing water at Seadramon, trying to get his attention, having nothing to throw at him.

"No..." Matt groaned out when he noticed Naru still in the water. "...don't, go back..Ahhg!"

he was cut off as the tail tightened around him, and he feared his ribs would begin to crack. Seadramon looked down at Naru and she gasped, realizing she'd gotten his attention yet it hadn't gone exactly as she'd hoped.

He hadn't let Matt go, instead it look like it was ready to attack her with it's mouth or whatever power it might have.

_'I didn't think this through, did I?' _she thought to herself and then it's mouth, open, shot towards her.

"NARUMI!" Tai yelled, and Naru closed her eyes tightly in fear, unable to move.

_'No' _Renamon thought, and at the same time Matt and Naru's digivices began to glow their respective colors – blue for Matt and a dark silver and white mix for Narumi.

"Gabumon digivolve to... Garurumon!"

"Renamon digivolve to... Kyubimon!"

Narumi opened her eyes as she felt herself being plucked out of the water gently, and tossed onto a soft furred back.

Looking down she noticed a large yellow and white fox, with blue flames around it's feet and at the tips of it's nine tails, a red and white bow-like thing around it's neck, and ice blue eyes. It also still had the yin-yang symbol Renamon had, but on it's forehead and sides.

"Renamon?" she asked, shocked.

"I'm Kyubimon now, Naru," Kyubimon corrected as it turned in mid-air and faced Seadramon.

It was then she realized Kyubimon was flying, somehow. Looking at Seadramon she noticed he had let Matt go, and a large white and blue wolf-like digimon was fighting it.

"That's Garurumon," Kyubimon said, noticing the shocked look Naru wore. "He was once Gabumon, he digivolved as well. Now I'll take you back to land and help Garurumon."

Narumi nodded and Kyubimon made it back to the island, and Naru slipped off her back only to be pulled into a hug by Tai who looked close to tears – not that he'd ever admit to that.

"Don't ever do that again, you scared me to death!" Tai yelled and Naru flushed, looking over to where Matt stood with T.K – who didn't seem ready to let go of his big brother any time soon after what happened.

"You alright?" she asked, and Matt nodded.

"Yeah, but I agree with Tai for once. You shouldn't have put yourself in danger like that."

Naru snorted.

"I could say the same to you, Yamato," she said, using his full name to annoy him – though she liked his full name just fine, it was a good name.

Matt made a sound of annoyance at the use of his full name, and everyone turned back to see Kyubimon and Garurumon fighting off Seadramon together.

"Who are they?" Sora asked, in awe at the digimon new forms.

"That's Garurumon and Kyubimon," Tentomon said, seemingly just as awed. "Garurumon's fur is legend, it's said to be as strong as steal and he's like a growling torpedo. Kyubimon may look kind and sweet, but her fire is some of the hottest in the digi-world."

"Fox-tail Inferno!" Kyubimon cried, nine balls of fire shooting from her tails at Seadramon who had smacked Garurumon away with it's tail.

Seadramon roared in what sounded like pain as it reared back and thrashed from the attack.

"That's amazing," Tai said. "I hope you're not exaggerating, Tentomon."

"I heard about it!" Tentomon argued.

Seadramon straightened, flicked Kyubimon towards the water harshly, and turned back to Garurumon, blowing a blue attack from it's mouth which began to turn the area around Garurumon to ice, trying to turn the wolf digimon himself to ice.

"Oh no, it's his ice blast," Tentomon said, worried.

"Howling Blaster!" Garurumon cried, breaking free of the ice.

"Dragon Wheel!" Kyubimon said after him, having stopped her descent just before hitting the water and moved at Seadramon from behind.

She spun in the air, becoming a ball of blue flame and a dragon of fire appeared to strike Seadramon moments after Garurumon's Howling Blaster.

Seadramon groaned in pain, and then fell into the lake, defeated. As they cheered on the island, Garurumon and Kyubimon returned to Gabumon and Renamon.

* * *

It wasn't long after Seadramon was defeated the sun returned, and Naru greeted Renamon, Matt not far behind her to greet Gabumon once they returned to land.

"Gabumon, you sure digivolved just in time," Matt said, grinning at the digimon.

"Thank you for saving my brother and Naru," T.K began, hugging Gabumon and pulling back to look over at Renamon, who was being hugged by Narumi. "It was my fault they were out there anyways."

"Hey, it wasn't your fault T.K," Naru said, pulling away from Renamon and going to stand closer to T.K. "I chose to jump in after you."

Matt nodded.

"And I chose to jump in after both of you."

"Yeah, if it was anyone's fault it was Seadramon's," Tai said, coming up behind Matt. "Though, uh, I guess I should thank you, Matt."

Matt raised an eyebrow.

"For what?"

"For trying to save my sister as well," he said. "I know how stubborn she is..."

"Don't worry about it, Tai," Matt said. "I couldn't leave her there, she tried to help my brother after all."

"Is it too much to hope those two will continue to get along?" Sora asked, and Mimi and Naru chuckled.

"Okay, now how are we supposed to get back to shore?" Joe asked, and Gomamon laughed.

"Just leave that to me," he said, jumping into the lake and seconds later fish were pushing the island back to shore.

* * *

"You know, I was thinking," Sora began. "Before only Agumon was able to digivolve, but this time Gabumon and Renamon were able to digivolve."

"It seems to be a patern," Izzy said.

"Huh, it all makes sense now. Our digimon must digivolve when we're in danger," Tai said, and Izzy nodded.

"Right."

Sora was startled when Mimi landed on her shoulder, asleep and she gently pushed the other girl back the other way where she curled up on the ground with Palmon, asleep.

"You know, we've been here three days, four if you count today, and I think she's put on some muscle," Sora said, and the other chuckled.

Soon they had all settled down to sleep, though many had already done so. Tai turned when he heard Matt begin to play his harmonica, and moved over to where he sat with T.K, Patamon, and Gabumon, playing.

"Big bro, you're the best," he heard T.K mutter and saw Matt stop playing a few seconds later and smile.

"Hey, I'm sorry about before. If what I said when you told me about your parents upset you," Tai began, coming out from the tree's cover.

Matt looked over, a bit startled by Tai's sudden appearance.

"Naru says I don't think before I speak," he continued, scratching the back of his head.

Matt nodded.

"It's alright," he said.

"You know... Naru isn't my real sister," Tai began, drawing a shocked look from Matt at his randomness.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't get me wrong, she's my sister, and she always has been for as long as I can remember," he clarified. "She was adopted. Mom wasn't sure if she could have anymore kids after me, and when they found Naru, well they couldn't let her go. Two and half years later mom had Kari."

"I guess that explains why she doesn't look very much like you," Matt said. "Does she know?"

"Hm, oh yeah. It's kind of obvious, like you said. Both my parents have dark hair and eyes, while Naru has bright blonde hair and blue eyes. They told us all two years ago, when she asked, actually."

"Thanks for apologizing Tai, we may not get along all the time, but thanks."

Tai nodded and stood up, yawning.

"I'm gonna go back and get some sleep, you might want to do the same."

Matt nodded, once Tai was out of sight he was startled when someone sat down beside him.

"Huh?" he gasped, and blinked upon seeing Narumi. "What is with you Kamiya's and sneaking up on others?"

Naru laughed.

"Sorry," she said. "I just wanted to say thanks. For trying to help me back in the lake, though for future reference I'm not defenseless."

Matt smirked, nodding.

"Right, I'll be sure to remember that."

there was a few minutes of silence as they sat together and then he felt something on his shoulder and looked, startled to find Naru's head on his shoulder, asleep. His face flushed at the close contact, and he contemplated what to do about it.

He didn't want to wake her up, but if she woke up like this... well he knew she knew martial arts, he wasn't so sure he wanted on the receiving end of that.

Sighing, Matt leaned against the tree more and closed his eyes. There was nothing he could do about it without waking her, and after last night she deserved her sleep. Within seconds he to was asleep.

_'Hm, the wolf and the fox... how unique,'_ Renamon thought from her perch in a high tree branch above them, as she kept watch.


	5. Fiery Mountains

**AN: So, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. The next chapter will be a bit longer, seeing as I plan to get the rest of the situations where the digimon first digivolve over with so things can get more interesting. **

* * *

**Child of Balance**

**Chapter 5: Fiery Mountains.**

Kurama, more commonly known as the Kyuubi, had been awake for some time now.

He'd been disturbed from his sleep by the girls fluctuating chakra – which he could already tell was only active because of accidental use and his chakra being converted within her own. Otherwise she'd probably have as much use as a common civilian.

There was also something else, something different about her lately. Another power she had that he'd never seen before but was loosely connected to her chakra – key word being loosely, it wasn't chakra from what he could see.

Imagine his surprise when he'd taken a peak at what the girl was seeing. He'd known she wasn't raised in her parents homelands, he'd woken up a few times over the years for a few seconds, but wherever she was it wasn't the Elemental Nations nor Japan.

The creatures she and her friends had found, or more like found them, were also something he couldn't make heads or tails of. Though, the one his host was partnered too, she intrigued him.

A strange name, but fitting; Renamon. He'd been even more surprised when she'd digivolved before he could help his foolish host against Seadramon, becoming Kyubimon.

He'd almost had a laughing fit at the irony. His host being partnered to a fox-like digimon with a digivolved form called Kyubimon. He was sure the villagers of Konoha would have had a heart attack seeing the yellow and white nine-tailed digimon.

He had to admit, while she was smaller then him as Kyubimon, she was also intriguing. He'd never seen another nine-tailed fox before, even if the right term for the vixen was digimon.

_'Interesting,'_ Kurama mused mentally as he laid in his cage, eyes opened and chin resting on his forearms. _'Maybe the girls life won't be so boring after all.' _

He had to hand it to Kushina though, her ploy to give Naruto – or Narumi as he recalled her name was now – a better life, a quiet life, had been good. It was too bad (for Kushina that is) that fate had other ideas in mind for her daughter.

* * *

"We've been wondering the desert for hours now," Sora said, groaning as she tried to use her hat to fan at herself.

"My hair is going to get frizzy in all this humidity," Mimi complained, her hat also removed and on Palmon.

"If only we had some water," Narumi muttered, though she was by far fairing better than the others.

She herself wasn't quite as affected by the intense heat, for some reason she'd always been able to withstand intense summer heats even in longer sleeves, and a hat as she currently was.

Narumi hadn't a clue why, she just fared better she supposed. It was the cold that bothered her, though even she had her limits and this place was getting unbearably hot even for her.

"Maybe we should stop and rest for a while?" Tai suggested, concerned for his sister who looked a little flushed from the heat.

"In this heat?" Matt asked. "We'll barbeque if we don't keep moving."

"Hmm, weren't you the one who said follow the telephone polls?" Naru snarked, though it was more playful than mean.

Matt look down, face slightly red. For the last two days he'd been trying to keep his distance from the blonde girl. It was kind of awkward after the whole Seadramon incident and she'd fallen asleep on his shoulder.

She never mentioned it, she'd already been awake and with the others by the time he'd woken up, but for some reason Matt felt odd around her.

He chose to avoid her in an attempt to forget it ever happened. So far it was working, though not well. He was starting to believe he just needed to forget about it and act as if it never happened, like Naru seemed to be doing.

Or maybe... he thought looking back at the shorter girl, maybe she was just that innocent she didn't think anything of it. He sighed, shaking his head. He wasn't sure where these thoughts had come from. He barely even knew Narumi.

"Naru," Renamon began as they moved along the desert. "I believe I can smell and hear water nearby."

Izzy blinked.

"What exactly does water smell like, if you don't mind me asking, Renamon?" he asked, and the tall vulpine digimon blinked at the redheaded boy.

"I don't exactly know how to explain... I guess fresh would be the best description. A bit like rain smells, I imagine."

"Hey look, Renamon is right! A village, which means there's water!" Narumi cried, a grin on her whiskered face. "Race you there, last one there is a rotten egg!"

"Hey, Naru wait for us!" Tai cried, shaking his head. "Where does she get all this energy?"

* * *

"Wow... everything is so small," Naru mused, looking around with interest.

From a distance it had looked so big, yet once they were in the digimon village it was rather small. No bigger than T.K. To everyone surprise the village was filled with thousands of little digimon, familiar digimon. It only took a minute or two in order to realize they were Yokomon, like Biyomon had once been before she digivolved.

"From farther away everything looked so much bigger," Tai said, looking around in shock at the small huts.

"Oh, they're so cute!" Mimi squealed, hands clasped in front of her. "Oh, I wish I could just take one home with me."

"I don't think they're like stuffed animals, Mimi," Sora muttered, shaking her head in amusement at the strawberry blonde.

"I have a question, just who knows where we can find something to drink," Biyomon asked her tiny digimon relatives – or at least they assumed digimon of the same species would be classified as relatives of some sort. "We've been walking through the desert for so long now."

"Oh, and just what do giant digimon drink?" one of the Yokomon asked cutely tilting it's head.

Though that sounded and looked odd since Yokomon were basically a pink onion bulb with a bluish-purple flower shaped digimon.

"What, I'm not a digimon, I'm human," Sora said, pointing to herself a bit surprised at the Yokomon's assumption.

The Yokomon all gasped, talking amongst themselves in whispers before looking back to them.

"We've never seen humans before..." one of them said. "You look different then I imagined."

"Yes, my friend Sora is indeed a human, and I know they look funny but they are actually very nice," Biyomon told the Yokomon.

"If you are not digimon, then what are you doing in digi-world?"

Joe groaned slightly as he looked at one of the huts.

"We are never going to fit in here," Joe said, standing up straight and the others sighed.

"Relax Joe. At least the natives here are friendly." Tai said.

"I would just love to take one home and put it on my bed with all my other stuffed animals. They're just so precious!" Mimi exclaimed, and Naru could almost see hearts in her eyes at the prospect.

Mimi was a sweet girl, but sometimes Naru forgot just how much of the a ditz the pink loving girl was at times.

Don't get her wrong, Naru knew Mimi wasn't stupid, she was actually very smart she just a way with words and a personality that made her seem stupid.

In a way it reminded Narumi of herself. Some assumed she was stupid because she had trouble understanding certain things or paying attention in some classes, but in actuality she was rather smart.

She got good greats, maybe not great but she'd never gotten bellow a C in her life. Which was pretty good if she did say so herself

"There she goes again. Do you think Mimi hears the same things we hear? I'm not sure any more," Matt muttered loudly, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets as he looked to the side.

"Maybe she's an alien spy," Izzy suggested, rubbing his chin in thought.

"Not that again," Naru said, snorting. "I thought we'd agreed there wasn't any aliens involved, Izzy?"

"It could be, I mean this place is alien enough... and I still don't quite know what to make of these digimon."

"I don't know what aliens are, Izzy, but I'm sure we're not," Tentomon said. "I'm sure Mimi isn't either, she looks human to me."

the other laughed, including Izzy.

"Everyone, T.K's tired and hungry," Patamon said, catching everyone's attention.

"He's not the only one, we're all tired and hungry," Joe's head bowed. "I can't recall the last meal we ate."

"I can, it was that fish Naru made, wasn't it?" Tai said, drooling at the thought of their last good meal.

He didn't bother counting the berries they'd found during their travels when they could find any meat to eat.

"Biyomon, just when did you digivolve?" a Yokomon suddenly asked. "I hadn't truly noticed before but you've changed you don't look like us anymore."

"When I met Sora. We share a special bond which is magical," Biyomon said.

Sora listened from where she sat near the group, knees drawn up to her chest and elbows resting on her knees, face resting in her hands for the moment.

"You don't talk like us anymore either, Is that how all Biyomon talk?" another asked, truly curious.

"No, it's how the big ones talk. I suppose I just picked it up from Sora and the others. She is a wonderful and kind human being, and I've already learned a lot from here." Biyomon praised.

Sora smiled, surprised by how sincere the pink bird digimon sounded.

"I still don't understand how you digivolved. What is it about being around human beings that makes it happen? Is it some sort of magic they have?" Yokomon asked.

"No, not at all. All I knew was Sora needed me. I had to protect her, and then suddenly I felt different and I changed," Biyomon stated, nodding as if to agree with herself.

Sora's eyes widened, and she gasped almost silently.

_'She had to protect me?'_ she thought to herself, and then made a sound of understanding, eyes softening. _'Wait, I understand now. That's why she's always following me around. It's more than just being my partner, she's my friend as well.' _

Sora suddenly smiled, and muttered to herself, "We're lucky kids."

"I agree," Narumi said, crouching down beside Sora. "It's been a while since we actually talked, huh?"

Sora looked at the blonde, blinking before she laughed. It had been a while, not counting summer camp each year. Besides Mimi, everyone was in a grade above Naru. Izzy only because he'd skipped a grade.

Added to this that they'd never exactly been what one would call a close knit group of friends, more like friends that had grown up together.

Sora hated to admit it but she and the others knew Tai a bit more than Naru, what they did know was she was Tai's younger sister – or at least one of them.

She was still their friend, but not a very close friend growing up, not before now.

Sort of like how they knew T.K, they mostly knew him as Matt's younger brother. Sora had to admit she was enjoying the fact they were able to get to know one another better.

She'd like to become better friends with them all, she didn't have many back home, wherever that was now that they were in this new world.

"Yeah," Sora agreed. "I think the last time we hung out was...during the volleyball game at the beach function last summer our families helped out with."

"Yeah, but I still remember when you were angry about Tai puking in your hat and not telling you," Narumi said, chuckling and Sora's face turned red at the memory.

She was still a bit sore over that, they'd been young then, barely eight(Naru was six, close to seven) if she remembered right. Thinking back on it, she chuckled, Tai had been really small back then, though he'd seem to hit a growth spurt over the last year or two.

"Sora, Naru," Biyomon said, popping up at their side along with Renamon.

Sora figured Renamon had been there for a while. It amazed her how powerful Renamon seemed for a rookie, the way she just appeared or blended in so well. Like a ninja, she thought with some childlike amusement.

"I have great news, the Yokomon have agreed to share their food with us," Biyomon announced and the children all cheered in relief and delight.

Renamon herself wasn't so sure, she didn't know what Yokomon ate, but she wasn't sure it was something her humans friends would enjoy.

She knew it couldn't hurt them, food in the digital world wasn't harmful to digimon or human alike, unless it was certain types of herbs, and other wild berries and plants – but digimon stayed away from those as well. Either way it was food, they'd have to make the most of it, whatever it was.

"Water, look it's a fresh water fountain," T.K cried, drawing everyone's attention to where the youngest of the group was headed.

"Wow, it looks so good," Tai said, having never seen such crystal clear looking water before.

One of the Yokomon hopped onto the edge of the fountain, a bright smile on her face.

"It really is," she began. "It's pumped in from a spring on Mihirashi Mountain. It's the best in the world!"

"Forget the world, it's the best in the galaxy," Tentomon said, popping up beside T.K. "There isn't any water better than Mount Mihirashi water."

"Where is Mount Mihirashi?" Izzy asked, and many of the Yokomon turned at once.

"It's up there," they said in unison.

"But... that's a live volcano, isn't it?" Naru asked, eyes wide.

Izzy look thoughtful.

"Maybe that is why this area is so hot," he mused. "Even back home we don't see heat like this, even in the desert. It's possible the metal in the sand, plus the fact it is a desert area, added to Mihirashi Mountain creates the heavy humid climate and heat. Makes me wonder how the Yokomon can handle it."

"Oh, well, it's cools off a little at night, and we Yokomon are built for hot climates. We also have the water..." One of the Yokomon said, a bit puzzled as she tried to explain it.

They'd never truly thought much on the heat, they'd grown used to it seeing as they didn't know much else. Some had always lived in the Yokomon village.

"The heat from the Volcano boils away all the germs in the water," a Yokomon said, looking at Narumi. "It never erupts either, the guardian of the mountain sees to that."

"Guardian..." Whatever else Mimi was going to say was cut off by grumbling from under the fountain as the water stopped flowing.

"Huh, what happened to the water?" Matt asked and the ground shook a little.

"If I am not mistaken, that sounds precedes an eruption!" Izzy exclaimed and the DigiDestined and their digimon backed away a bit as a column of wide flames shot up from the fountain like a _geyser. _

_"_What's happening!?" Tai shouted from where he'd fallen onto his butt, Naru barely keeping her ground a foot or so away from him.

"The water's all dried up... that's never happened before!" Yokomon cried in shock.

"That's okay though," another Yokomon said, optimistic. "The lake is always full of fresh water."

"I think you should rethink that," Renamon said from a few feet away at the base of the lake.

"Let's go," Tai said, and they rushed to where Renamon stood, gasping at what they saw.

The lake was once full of sparkling water, but now it was as dry as the desert, the only thing in the deep hole being a sunken ship (how that got there, none were very sure).

"I don't understand, Meramon would never allow the Volcano to act out like this," a Yokomon said, obviously confused.

"Meramon?" Joe asked hesitantly.

"The Guardian of the Mountain," Yokomon clarified. "We've never seen him, no one goes to Mount Mihirashi, we just know he's the Guardian."

"I can't believe it, the water is just... gone," Matt said. "Could this Meramon know what happened? Could he be behind it?"

"I won't give up," Tai said. "There has to be more water. The well, we'll try the well!"

The group followed after Tai who had taken off for the well, only to be disappointed. The well, like everything else was as dry as a bone. There was no water anywhere.

Soon as they pulled the well bucket back up, only to pull back a burning rope flames shot up much as they had in the fountain before.

"Oh, Tai's doing a little dance. Is it supposed to bring the rain or stop the flames?" Mimi asked, and Naru snickered shortly.

She knew though that this was no time to laugh, something wasn't right.

"Hey, do you guys remember that gear we saw?" Matt asked, turning to them sharply.

"The one that crashed into the mountain," Naru began. "Yeah, it's kind of hard to forget."

"What do you want to bet that mountain was Mihirashi Mountain," Izzy said, coming to the same realization the others soon came to.

"It would be just our luck," Sora said bitterly. "The one mountain it has to crash into and it's Mihirashi Mountain."

"What do we do?" one of the Yokomon asked, jumping up and down in panic.

"Hey... this Meramon, what does he look like?" Tai asked, and everyone turned their attention to the goggle wearing boy to find him looking towards the mountain through his telescope.

"I don't like the sound of that," Naru said, and Renamon nodded from beside the girl, the digimon's icy blue eyes narrowed.

"He's a fire digimon," one Yokomon said. "But he never leaves his mountain."

"Never mind that, because he's coming this way!" Tai exclaimed, putting his telescope away.

"He burns up everything he touches, this isn't good, no, no!" one of the Yokomon exclaimed.

"He looks and sounds as if he's in pain," Sora pointed out as the fiery digimon got closer.

He was still rather far away, but if the sounds he made meant anything he was in pain.

"Impossible," Renamon said. "That's like saying my foxfire hurts me while I'm Kyubimon."

"No, I think she's right," Palmon said. "But that makes no sense. Meramon is a fiery digimon, there's no reason he should be in pain from his own flames."

"What are we going to do! He's already reached the bottom of the hill and entering the forest, I've never seen him move so fast before!" one of the Yokomon told them and they watched as the forest caught aflame.

"Freeze, everyone be perfectly still!" Everyone did, more out of fear and hope the girl had a plan. "Don't move a muscle," Sora finished.

It was as they heard Meramon's screams getting closer and closer, and the fire as well that Narumi shook off her fear.

"This isn't a bear, Sora!" Narumi exclaimed. "Being still isn't going to make us invisible. We have to move, find somewhere safe!"

Everyone blinked, and Sora sighed, realizing her friend was right. She didn't know what she'd been thinking, maybe it was the fear and the first thing coming to mind.

"Run!" Tai cried as Meramon broke of the forest and was running towards them across the desert.

"To the lake," Matt said. "The ship will have to be safe enough, at least for the Yokomon."

Everyone nodded and took off running, everyone helping get the thousand of Yokomon into the old ship.

"Please, don't push! There is room for everyone!" Naru said as she helped Matt usher the Yokomon in.

Some had jumped into her arms suddenly, shocking Naru as the fearful Yokomon (obviously the youngest of the village) took refuge in her arms. She didn't know why they would choose her or why they seemed to calm down a bit in her arms.

What she did know was the sudden shock and weight of dozen of young Yokomon threw off her balance and she fell back into Matt who caught her easily.

"Wow, careful there," he said, steadying her. "Hey, I've got an idea."

"Huh?" Naru asked, looking at him with slightly red cheeks.

"Go inside with the Yokomon," he said. "They seem to like you, and anything to keep them calm would help."

Narumi's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"You're not trying to get me out of the way, are you Matt?" she asked, "Renamon and I can protect ourselves."

"Uh... no of course not!" Matt yelled out, waving his hands in front of him. "I just thought it would help."

"He's right, Naru," Renamon said. "Go inside with the Yokomon."

Narumi looked at Renamon in surprise before sighing, and heading into the hole with help from Matt, the Yokomon still on her arms.

"Don't think this will happen often, Yamato Ishida," she said, staring at the blond boy with eyes that said she wouldn't hide from anything.

He smirked, and nodded.

"I didn't expect you to," he said and Mimi giggled from where she stood with T.K.

"What?" he asked, standing up as more Yokomon headed in after Narumi.

"Oh nothing, I just think you and Naru are so cute... so romantic!" Mimi said, squealing softly and Matt's face reddened and he looked away, hands stuffed back in his pockets.

"Whatever, Mimi," he said.

"Sora," T.K said, drawing their attention. "What is she doing?"

Matt, Mimi and Joe all looked over to see Sora running towards the incline of the lake where Yokomon were still coming, and Renamon gasped.

"It's Biyomon," she said.

It was then they noticed Meramon had knocked the bird digimon off and she was tumbling down the incline towards the bottom of the lake. She would have hit harshly if not for Sora intercepting her, catching her in her arms.

"Sora! You have to get out of there!" Tai yelled from below.

Inside, Naru could hear this all, and wanted nothing more than to help but the Yokomon, especially the youngest were clinging to her.

_'Be careful,' _she thought, looking up at the hole where Yokomon were coming inside.

The digimon all gasped as Biyomon who had gone to fight Meramon was shot from the air with a fireball, and they all moved to help. Throwing their strongest attacks at him.

"it's not working," Joe said.

"He's just getting stronger!" Tai exclaimed in disbelief.

Biyomon groaned from where she lay in Sora's arms and opened her eyes.

"My friends," she muttered, startling Sora. "They need my help..."

Biyomon moved out of Sora's arms and Sora's eyes widened in fear and worry.

_'Biyomon,'_ Sora thought to herself, never noticing her digivice begin to glow.

"Biyomon..." Sora muttered as Biyomon began to glow.

"Biyomon digivolve to... Birdramon!"

Everyone gasped at the large phoenix-like digimon.

"No!" Sora cried as the larger digimon and Meramon began to battle.

Narumi slowly made her way from the ship where the Yokos were, having finally convinced most of them that they'd be alright if she wasn't with them, though there was a few who refused to stay behind and came with her.

"Biyomon digivolved," Naru said, startling Matt, T.K, Mimi and Joe.

"Naru," Joe said, blinking. "I thought you were with the Yokos."

"Yeah, I couldn't stay down there while you guys were up here fighting," Narumi said moving beside Matt to watch the battle.

"She'll be fine," Sora said from down below, smiling up at Birdramon. "Go Birdramon, you can do it!"

"What's wrong Birdramon, afraid of me?" Meramon asked, standing back up. "Here, have a...ball!"

Everyone watched with baited breath and the fireball struck Birdramon in the back of one of her wings, but she fought through it with encouragement from Sora.

Birdramon was forced from close range to long range where she curled her wings in, then out where they sparkled for a second, and she curled them back in as fire was shot from them towards Meramon.

Once hit the fiery digimon shrunk back down, fell to his knees and a black gear shot from his back into the air where it was destroyed.

"That gear, it was in his back," Tai said.

"What is it?" Patamon wondered, blinking in surprise.

"It must be the reason behind Meramon's strange behavior," Izzy said.

Sora smiled as Birdramon returned to Biyomon.

"She did it," Sora said, and ran to meet Biyomon as everyone else cheered.

**xXx**

"Meramon, why did you attack our village?" a Yokomon asked and the larger digimon looked down embarrassed.

"I couldn't stop myself," he admitted.

"That's awful, but if you couldn't control yourself than who was controlling you?"

"I don't know, the last thing I remember was that black gear entering me," Meramon said, standing up. "I apologize for everything."

"Well, we're just happy you're back to yourself. You're needed to protect Mount Mihirashi."

"Thank you for freeing me of that black gear, but I must be getting back to my mountain now," Meramon said and the Yokomon all said farewell to Meramon who headed back to his mountain at a run.

"Hey, I just realized, you never got that dinner we promised you," Biyomon said, and everyone nodded.

Half a hour later the Digidestined and digimon all sat with bowls of what looked similar to rice but definitely wasn't rice.

"What is this stuff?" Mimi asked.

"No idea," Matt said, looking at it critically.

"It smells better than broccoli," T.K said, smelling of the stuff.

"Well, it can't hurt to eat it," Naru said, blinking. "I'm too hungry to really care anyway."

"It can't be worse than my mother's food," Tai muttered. "Though I can't even be sure it's cooked."

"It would be rude to not accept our hosts gracious offers of food," Mimi said, digging in.

"Has anyone noticed," Matt began. "We talk a lot about food."

Narumi laughed, after swallowing the food she'd been chewing.

"It's not bad, whatever it is," she said, grinning.

"Nah, I'm not really hungry," Sora said.

"I'm skipping this one too, I just don't like to eat on an empty stomach," Joe said.

"Yeah, as opposed to eating on a full stomach," Naru muttered, and Matt snorted, while T.K laughed and Mimi giggled having heard her words.

Sora smiled over at Biyomon who was enjoying the food and felt relief that the day was nearly over. It was definitely her biggest adventure with Biyomon yet.

**Xxx**

The next day they all left the Yokomon Village behind, having had a nights sleep to rest. The Yokomon had been sad to see them go, but were also thankful to them for saving their village and helping Meramon.

"So, where are we going next?" Sora asked as they left, going out of sight of the Yokomon Village.

"I guess we should continue in the direction we were going before," Tai said. "We don't have a working compass, and have no idea where exactly we are or are going. We'll just have to wing it."

The others nodded, knowing he was right.

"Well, let's go then," Naru said smiling. "The sooner we get moving, the sooner we can find some sort of civilization."

The all agreed, and the eight humans plus eight digimon all headed off for whatever adventure awaited them next.


	6. Androids and Toy Towns

**Child of Balance**

**Chapter 6: Androids, and Toy Towns.**

The DigiDestined had been walking for what felt like forever, but what they knew was only two days.

Two tiring days, though the farther they got from Mount Mihirashi and that area of the desert the more bearable the heat became. It was still really hot though.

"I think I'm gonna... die," Mimi gasped as she fell to her knees, panting. "Can we stop now, I think my bruises from walking so much have bruises that have bruises of their own."

Everyone else stopped and T.K fell onto his butt beside Mimi, looking just as uncomfortable.

"My feet are hot," T.K muttered, wiggling his toes in his shoes to try and return some of the feeling to them.

"We've been here before, guys," Sora said, with a sigh. "I wasn't sure before but I swear we've passed that area more than once."

"No way," Mimi said. "There's no way I could walk that far or long!"

"This is getting us nowhere," Narumi muttered, shoulders slouched as she played with her hat.

She wasn't wearing the fox eared beanie hat for once, revealing all of her shoulder blade length, bright blonde hair. It was rather messy, but also straight and they all remembered when she wore it shorter and it had been even worse, sort of like Tai's but less of a defying mess.

"Don't give up yet Narumi," Tai said, smiling encouragingly at his sister. "We'll be home before mom can burn the meatloaf surprise."

Naru looked at her brother with a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Uh, meatloaf surprise?" Izzy asked, hesitantly.

He'd heard of Mrs. Kamiya's cooking, who hadn't with the way the two siblings quipped about it at times. Like everyone else there, he'd never eaten Mrs. Kamiya's cooking so he couldn't be sure if it was all exaggerations on their part. No one could be that bad of a cook, could they?

Both Kamiya siblings grimaced in unison.

"The surprise is the meat," they said together.

If it wasn't for the fact Narumi was quite a bit shorter than Tai, and looked nothing like the slightly older boy (other than having similar skin tones) they could be mistaken for twins. Actually in the past they had been, though they'd thought the person who'd asked if they were needed glasses. Even fraternal twins looked something alike.

The others faces fell, taking it to mean what type of meat... or maybe it meant something else entirely but they really didn't want to know anymore details.

"Hey guys, I think I've found something you need to see," Joe called over.

Looking towards his voice they noticed he'd moved a few feet away from them, and was looking over into a city like area of factories. Beyond that looked to be a large lake, or maybe it was a pond. It was hard to be sure from where they were. It was large enough to be either one.

"What is it for?" T.K asked in awe of the large factories.

"Could be anything," Naru said, shaking her head. "We'll never know until we explore."

"How did you find it?" Sora asked.

It was quite some feet away from where they'd been. They hadn't even noticed Joe wondering off. Joe adjusted his glasses and shrugged.

"I saw the smoke rising from where we stopped. I came to look, I guess I should have let you know, huh?" he said more than asked, chuckling slightly.

"I wonder if anyone in there can help us find a way home," Izzy wondered aloud and the others nodded.

"Let's hope they can manufacture us a way home, come on," Matt said, heading towards the factories.

The other followed after him, all of them on alert in case they ran into anything unpleasant. After looking around for about twenty minutes it was clear that something was odd about the factory.

The machines seemed to work themselves without people to control them, and there was a serious lack of people or digimon. It was like a ghost town.

"We should split up," Tai said. "We'll be able to cover more ground that way."

"That's not the problem Tai," Naru said, frowning. "The question is if it'll be alright to split up. It might not be safe."

"I don't think we have much of a choice, Naru. The ground we must search is massive, even if not as large as a city back home might be," Izzy said. "It should be alright as long as we split into two groups of even numbers."

"So... four in each group," Joe said, looking at each of them. "But who goes with who?"

"Well," Sora began, thinking on it. "Only Agumon, Renamon, Gabumon, and Biyomon can digivolve, so we should make sure each group has at least one digimon that can digivolve."

"Right," Tai said. "Izzy, Matt, T.K and Mimi goes one way and Sora, Naru, Joe and I will go another. We'll meet up here in say a hour and see what we've come up with."

"Sounds alright to me," Mimi muttered and the two groups split up, one going in one direction and the other in another.

* * *

"Do you think we should go inside?" T.K asked as they stopped in front of a door, which said Power Supplier (though he noticed it was spelled wrong on the door, or maybe that was how it was spelled wherever they were now) on the front.

"I don't see why not," Izzy said. "It would also be a good idea to see just what is powering this place. Maybe I can find something to charge my laptop."

"Stay close to me, T.K," Matt told his brother, who nodded.

The door slid open and inside they could see was as empty as the rest of the place, except for the largest battery they had ever seen.

"Boy howdy..I've never seen such a big battery before in my life!" Mimi said in awe, pulling her hat down slightly as she stared.

"At least not one that actually works," Matt muttered.

He was pretty sure there was some pieces of art that were much larger than life sized in the world. He'd thought he recalled something about it in Art class last year. He hadn't really been paying that much attention, come to think about it.

"Prodigious. With a battery this size I could power my laptop indefinitely... at least in theory," Izzy said, entering the room to inspect the large battery better. "First I have to figure out how to do this..."

"Well, you better hurry," Matt said, sighing. "I have a bad feeling about this place."

* * *

"What is that?" Tai asked in wonder, as they crowded around what looked like a cyborg or robot stuck in some sort of large machines gears.

"A robot?" Sora inquired, and Renamon and the other digimon shook their heads.

"No, he's a digimon," Renamon said.

"Yes, Andromon," Agumon said. "He's an powerful digimon, one of the more powerful ones in the digital world."

Biyomon nodded.

"Poor digimon, he must have gotten stuck in the gears," she said. "We have to help him."

"Uh, my mom really doesn't like me moving heavy objects... it messes with my allergies," Joe said.

Naru chuckled, shaking her head.

"Don't sweat it, Joe," she began, patting the older boys back. "We'll handle it."

"Come on, we'll pull on three," Tai said, grabbing one side of Andromon, while Sora and Naru grabbed the other.

Together the three pulled, though it didn't really seem to do much at first, but slowly it began to pull free. They backed away a bit, breathing deeply once Andromon was pulled free.

"That was.. more work than I thought it would be," Tai panted.

"He should wake up soon," Gomamon said, coming closer.

"You think he's alright?" Sora asked, leaning over the android digimon to see if there was anything wrong with him.

"You know, this reminds me of a movie I once saw where the android came to life and ate the humans," Joe said.

Narumi looked at Andromon and shrugged.

"He doesn't look dangerous," Naru said, and Sora nodded.

"That may..." Tai stopped short, eyes widening. "Sora, look out!"

Sora gasped as she was grabbed by her ankle and held upside down by the now standing digimon.

"Hey, let her down!" Naru exclaimed moving to help Sora, her instincts taking over.

"No, Naru wait!" Tai called, realizing what his sister was about to do.

Renamon watched with some shock as her partner attacked Andromon. Naru kicked out, aiming at the back of Andromon's knees.

Naru had realized seconds before she'd swung her leg if she didn't aim for just the right areas she'd only hurt herself. He was an android digimon, and made of mostly metal.

Worse case she broke something from using hand to hand combat.

_Just went to show that martial arts could only go so far if trying to fight a digimon – especially one made of metals_, she thought.

As her leg connected, Andromon's legs buckled out from under him, too shocked to have seen her attack coming, and he dropped Sora.

Luckily, Sora was able to avoid hitting her head, though her hat might have cushioned it some, since it was rather padded in the helmet-like style it was made in, if she had hit headfirst.

Tai sighed in relief that his sister's plan had worked – at least he hoped that had been her plan. He was never so thankful for his sisters passion for martial arts (though she'd only had lessons for about two years now).

_'My sister the daredevil,'_ he thought to himself with some humor.

"Time to run," Joe said, and everyone darted back the way they'd come.

"Intruders, Andromon must stop intruders," Andromon said, standing up and heading after them.

* * *

"This place would be much more interesting if there was a tour guide attached to it," Mimi said as she, Matt, T.K and the digimon watched as some strange machines were being built.

They almost reminded Mimi of sewing machines. Almost.

"I guess," Matt muttered.

"Matt, what are those things anyway?" T.K asked, and Matt looked at his brother and shrugged.

"I don't know, T.K," he said. "Could be anything."

Moments later there was a sound of a machine stopping as the lights went out, startling them.

"Huh, what happened to the lights?" Matt asked aloud.

"Maybe they didn't pay their electric bill," Mimi suggested.

"This can't be good," Palmon muttered from Mimi's side.

It wasn't long before the lights returned and everyone blinked and sighed in relief that the lights had returned.

"Maybe we should go see what Izzy is doing," Matt suggested. "Make sure he's alright."

* * *

"Lightning Blade!"

"This." Narumi panted as she continued, all of them barely missing the digimon's attack. "Is not what I had in mind for summer vacation!"

"I don't think any of us did, Naru," Sora said as they continued running. "We need to meet the others, and warn them."

Renamon growled low in her throat before turning, jumping in the air, and unleashing the most powerful Diamond Storm she could muster.

The other digimon seeing this stopped as well, causing their partners to stop not far away.

"Renamon has the right idea," Gomamon said, then sighed. "But I don't stand a chance at helping against Andromon...even if I had my fish friends attack him."

He spoke this so quietly that Joe was the only one to notice.

"Gomamon," Joe muttered, realizing his digimon must have felt left out compared to the other digimon who had abilities more useful for offense.

"Spiral Twister!" Biyomon called, and the green spiraling attack hit not long after Renamon's, forcing Andromon back slightly.

He didn't seem to have a scratch on him though.

"Vengeance will be served," Andromon said and the others blanched.

"Pepper Breath!" Agumon cried, but his flames did even less against the android digimon.

"Great," Sora muttered. "We need to run again, our digimon are no match for him."

"Andromon will have his vengeance," Andromon said, and raised his arm. "Lightning Blade!"

They all gasped as the blue crescent blade of energy came towards them, and thinking fast Narumi grabbed the railings of the bridge-like structure they stood on.

"Everyone hold onto the railings and jump," she said, and the others followed her example and jumped.

They all breathed a sigh of relief when the blade flew harmlessly pass them as they hung from the railings.

"Vengeance," Andromon said as he walked towards them.

"Oh come on," Tai said. "We're the ones who jump started you."

"I don't think he cares, Tai," Naru said, and Renamon moved protectively closer to her partner who hung beside her.

"If only I could digivolve again," Renamon muttered, and Naru looked down sadly.

She felt at fault for Renamon not being able to digivolve since Seadramon, but than again, they hadn't truly tried yet, except for now.

She'd been trying to help Renamon digivolve since she'd realized Renamon would fight Andromon, even if it was useless since he was more powerful than the rookies. Even for Renamon who could usually fight a champion level by herself as a rookie, and in most cases win, depending on her cunning and plan.

Tai gritted his teeth, pulled himself up from his hanging position and let himself drop down onto some sort of crane like machine.

"Tai!" Sora yelled, shocked. "What are you doing!"

"Thinking on my feet," Tai replied and used the crane to grabbed Andromon and dangle him above the ground. "Now try it you stinking tin-can!"

"Uh, Tai can we not upset the powerful android," Joe said as they all pulled themselves back up onto the bridge.

"No time to chat, we need to go before he gets loose," Naru said and they nodded and took off.

* * *

"Hey you guys, listen up!"

Matt, Mimi, T.K and Izzy all stopped their discussion upon seeing the others running towards them as if something was chasing them.

"We have to go, now!" Naru yelled next, and the look on her face told Matt something was seriously wrong.

"What do you mean?" Izzy asked, slightly surprised by the sudden appearances.

It was then they all saw the reason for panic as a huge cyborg-type digimon jumped through the roof of the building they were currently on. Or maybe it would be considered the floor, the point was they could now see the reason for getting out of there.

"What's that!" T.K asked, a bit frightened.

"Some sort of robot..." Matt trailed off.

"Actually, that Andromon." Tentomon said. "He's a nonviolent digimon, we shouldn't have anything to worry about."

"Capture intruders, sensors detect hostility. Bring all intruders into firing range."

Matt blinked, looking at Tentomon blankly.

"Nonviolent, seems pretty violent to me," he muttered.

"Um... Mr. Whatevermon, are you talking to us by chance?" Mimi asked innocently.

"Bring missiles into position." Andromon said.

He began to get ready to fire off the missile that came from a compartment on his chest.

"FIRE!" he said shooting the missiles, and they all screamed and moved out of the way, only T.K was frozen by his fear.

Rooted to the spot T.K watched in horror as the missiles headed towards him.

"MATT HELP!" T.K yelled.

"T.K!" Matt yelled, eyes wide as he realized what had happened and the danger his brother was now in.

"T.K," Naru muttered, and moved to try and get to T.K before the missiles.

She could make it, she was the closest. She just had to push herself, she'd always been a fast runner, so fast it made the school wish they had a track team.

As it was she'd been offered to join the soccer team Tai was on, even though it was a boys team. Apparently it wasn't a rule that a girl couldn't join the team, it was simply none did. Or at least it wasn't a rule that couldn't be broken.

"No, Naru don't!" Tai yelled, and Renamon gasped as she felt the need to protect her partner.

She narrowed her eyes before basically disappearing from where she was.

They never noticed their digivices reacting until Agumon, Gabumon and the reappeared Renamon began to glow.

"Gabumon digivolve to…Garurumon!

"Agumon digivolve to…Greymon!"

"Renamon digivolve to... Kyubimon!"

Tai, and Matt both sighed in relief, along with everyone else as Kyubimon appeared in front of Narumi and T.K – Narumi having reached T.K just before Kyubimon had appeared to protect them from the missiles that were nearly right on top of the two kids.

Narumi had already pushed T.K out of the way, thankfully going with him and they would have rolled further away if Garurumon hadn't scooped them up, and headed towards Matt and Tai, while Greymon and Kyubimon handled Andromon for the moment.

"T.K, Naru," Matt said, relieved as they were sat down by Garurumon in front of them.

T.K stood up more instability than Naru did, but Naru soon held the back of her head since Tai had slapped her in the back of it.

He only did that when she did something he considered really dangerous and stupid. Usually it was her whacking him on the back of the head.

"Didn't I tell you not to do anything like that again," Tai said, frowning. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I don't understand why you keep trying to save my brother, Naru," Matt said, but then smiled at the girl. "But thanks anyway. Though I wish you wouldn't put yourself in danger..."

T.K nodded, and turned from where he was with Matt and latched onto the blue eyed girl in a hug.

"Thank you, but you shouldn't put yourself in danger for me again," T.K said.

Narumi's eyes widened, and she smiled widely.

"I guess it's just in my nature to try and help."

Tai sighed, rubbing his temple.

"It's no use, she has a hero complex," he said, and the others wanted to laugh, but knew with the battle going on between the four digimon this wasn't the time.

"Dragon Wheel!" Kyubimon cried, and the blue fiery dragon struck Andromon.

It seemed to hurt him somewhat, but not enough. Mostly it just threw him off enough that Garurumon and Greymon got their attacks through.

Andromon stumbled back with pain but shook it off seconds later.

They watched in horror as he forced the digimon back, throwing them into one another and using his own attacks on them.

"They..they're barely making a scratch," Tai said, shocked at just how little their digimon hurt Andromon.

Biyomon sighed, watching the fight with a look that showed how much she wished to help. Sora sighed, wishing she could help Biyomon to digivolve into Birdramon again, but she still didn't know quite how to control whatever it was that helped their digimon to change.

"He's more powerful than either of our digimon," Matt gasped.

Sora looked at her friends, and told them her theory on why that was happening, "Maybe it's because he's all machine. It's almost like he's digivolved far beyond the other digimon."

"Is it possible that we could lose this fight?" Tai asked, rhetorically.

They all watched as Greymon moved to attack the android digimon, but Andromon picked the larger digimon up and used him to hit Garurumon away. Kyubimon came at him from the other side, only to be backhanded away as if she were nothing but a fly.

"No, Kyubimon!" Naru cried as the nine-tailed fox digimon skidded across the ground.

"He's beaten all three, but how?" Tai clinched his fist in his frustration as he spoke.

"Looks like we've lost," Matt said, sighing sadly, and the others didn't say anything but they were all thinking the same thing.

Was there really no hope, had they really lost? If so what would happen to them? There had to be something, it couldn't be over, not yet!

"I've got it!" Izzy exclaimed as he punched in the enter key on his laptop. "At least... I think."

Everyone turned to looked at the redhead and seconds later noticed his digivice activating as Tentomon was covered in the same light.

"Tentomon digivolve to... Kabuterimon!"

When it cleared what was left was a large insect digimon, sort of reminiscent of a beetle or similar bug.

"My turn," Kabuterimon said, flying at Andromon.

"I will have vengeance," Andromon said as he fired a lightning blade at Kabutermon, who dodged.

"He's a bit like a broken record, isn't he?" Kyubimon said at the same time as Narumi.

"Freaky," Mimi muttered. "You and Kyubimon must be close... oh I hope they can do this! I'm to young and pretty to die!"

"Don't worry Mimi, we'll win this," Izzy said, and then gasped. "His leg... Kabuterimon, aim for his leg, if you do we may be able to disrupt his power!"

Kabuterimon made a sound of understanding and flew up away from Andromon before forming his attack in front of him.

"Electro Shocker!"

The attack struck the leg with the least armor. Andromon jerked around, and they all saw the black gear fly from his leg and into the sky.

"He had a black gear," Naru commented, eyes narrowed. "I wonder who is doing this, why use these things to infect digimon?"

"No idea, but it can't be good whoever it is," Matt answered, fist clinched.

"Poor Andromon," Biyomon muttered.

Sora nodded.

"Yeah, that must have hurt."

* * *

"That black gear reprogrammed my system somehow. I'm normally not a violent digimon," Andromon explained. "I am sorry for my actions."

"I told you he's a digimon and not an android." Sora whispered to Joe.

"At least you're okay now, Andromon," Narumi said, smiling.

"I never meant to hurt anyone," said Andromon, head bowed slightly in regret.

"Hey, we all make mistakes," Matt said and Tai nodded.

"Yeah, and none of us were hurt," Tai said, though he grimaced at the memory of how close they all came.

Especially T.K and Narumi.

"I regretfully can't answer your questions about how this place came to be, or what it's for, but I can be of some help." Andromon said as he pointed to a nearby tunnel. "The best way to escape from this area is to follow the underground water-way, the labyrinth begins just beyond this point."

"Thanks for your help, Andromon, we appreciate it," Tai said.

"Don't thank me, please, it's the least I can do after the trouble I've caused everyone. I hope you find your way home, and no matter what try to remember the big guy that turned out to be not so bad after all."

Everyone chuckled lightly at this.

"There's one thing you can count on; we'll never forget you, Andromon." Tai said.

Waving one last time at the digimon they all entered the water-way, and began their journey somewhere else. Where it would lead them they were unsure but it was a start.

* * *

The last week had been even more eventful than any of them had dreaded to think it would be.

Truthfully it was kind of hard to remember just how long they'd been in this place. It just seemed to have gone on forever, blurred into one big day. Or maybe it was them still adjusting to being so far from home. At least they all assumed they were rather far from home.

They were all starting to get homesick. Sora, surprisingly, broke first. It was while they were in the tunnels and decided to sing to pass the time, and stop the sewer-like tunnels from seeming so creepy.

Apparently the girl used to sing while she cleaned back home... it had them all thinking of home. How much they missed it.

Naru missed her bed, her parents, and little sister. Kari was supposed to have gone to summer camp with Tai and Naru, but she'd gotten sick. Naru remembered, though barely, the last time Kari had gotten really sick, and part of her still blamed herself for that.

If only she'd stopped Tai from taking Kari with him to play soccer that day, but she had been young too and wanted to play outside as well. That was beside the point though.

"You think we'll ever make it home?" T.K asked, his head lowered almost mournfully.

"Huh, why would you ask that, T.K?" Naru asked before anyone could speak. The blonde grinned at the younger boy, and continued. "Of course we'll get home... it might not be right now or tomorrow, but we'll find a way, dattebane!"

Tai laughed at his sister, and the others blinked at the weird way she'd ended her sentence.

"I thought you'd lost that verbal tick years ago, Naru," Tai said, his laughter calming after a few seconds.

"Huh, I don't really...wait, you did use to say that a lot when we were younger. Of course, I barely remember," Sora said, looking deep in thought.

The others nodded, besides for T.K, who couldn't recall ever hearing Narumi say it before.

Naru blushed in embarrassment.

"You didn't live with her," Tai said, smirking slightly. "It's been a while since she last said it though."

"What is this, pick on Narumi day?" Naru muttered, shaking her head. "Okay, enough poking fun at my verbal tick, besides... I only say it now on occasion. I've pretty much kicked the habit over the years."

The others nodded.

"You know we're just teasing, right sis?" Tai asked and Naru grinned and nodded.

"Of course..."

The digimon all watched this interaction, not understanding some of it.

"They really aren't from this world, huh?" Agumon inquired.

"I believe so," Renamon said. "Their world sounds interesting, and similar but very different to the digital world."

The digimon nodded.

"Poor kids," Palmon said. "It's why they're so depressed, I figure."

"Hm, true," Gabumon said.

"Hopefully they'll cheer up soon," Gomamon said, upset about how upset Joe seemed.

All of the digimon seemed upset that their partners were upset.

Tentomon's head suddenly turned, looking down the sewer tunnels and gathering everyone's attention.

"Shh, don't you hear that?" Tentomon questioned and everyone, human and digimon fell silent.

They all listened closely and their eyes widened. It sounded as if something was in the tunnels with them, it didn't really sound human or like water of any sort so it must be a digimon. Though none of them were completely sure of this.

Suddenly a smell assaulted their senses.

"What is that smell," Naru asked covering her nose. "It's burning my nose!"

"Oh, yuck! Naru is right that is just disgusting!" Mimi gasped, backing up some.

"Numemon." Gabumon said, and everyone looked at him.

"Numemon?" Matt asked."What's that?"

"They're really disgusting digimon. They live down here in the sewers, the only place no one cares that they stink up." Gomamon explained.

"That's gross!" Tai said. "Is it just me, or is it getting stronger?"

Narumi groaned leaning into Matt's side, though not intentionally, he was simply the closest to her.

"I think...I'm gonna barf. I'm going to barf, and then pass out," she muttered trying to breath deeply through her mouth instead of her nose which she kept covered.

Her sense of smell had always been high, all of her senses had always been strangely higher than anyone else she'd met, but this was just terrible. It must be a terribly apparent smell if she was having such a problem with it.

Matt looked at the girl, seeing how strongly she was affected, and sighed.

"It'll be alright, just breath through your mouth. We'll get out of here soon."

Tai looked over at his sister, concerned. They were all affected by the smell but not to the extent of Naru and looking at Renamon they could tell she was having a similar problem.

The difference was she seemed to be able to get through it, and someone who didn't know her like the others did might not catch it.

"Are the Numemon really strong?" TK asked.

"No, they're weak, but smelly. Just wait until they get closer, then you'll understand what I mean," Agumon said and Narumi shook her head.

"How about we don't and say we did?" she suggested.

"That is a good plan, I like Naru's plan a lot. What do you say we leave? Or am I the only one, other than Naru, who doesn't want to get stunk by stinky sewer dwelling digimon?"Joe asked.

"You're not the only ones, Joe," Sora began. "But I don't think we have much of a choice. Right now anyways."

"The sooner we can get out of her the happier I'll be," Naru muttered, and waited for the Numemon to appear.

Everyone nodded at her words, in full agreement.

Suddenly little green things with two tennis ball-like eyes came racing towards them. Sort of Slug-like, Narumi thought.

"There has to be hundreds of them!" Naru exclaimed.

"Hurry, run!" Agumon yelled.

No one bothered to argue or say anything, they simply turned and began to run.

"Agumon, if their not strong, then why are we running?" Tai asked, looking over at his partner.

"You'll find out, just keep running!" Agumon said.

"Oh gross!" Mimi cried as pink stuff that look like some sort of bad rendition of soft served ice cream sailed passed and around them.

The last thing any of them wanted was to be hit by it, thankfully the Numemon either had really bad aim or they just got really lucky.

"Hey, guys, this way!" T.K suddenly said, pointing to a tunnel in the wall that could lead just about anyone.

Naru just hoped it wasn't a dead end. The only plus was the smell was beginning to become bearable, or more like she simply became more accustomed to it... or maybe it was all the running? The fact was she wasn't as ill from the smell as she had been when first hit by it.

It also helped that she could see light ahead.

"Thank god," Naru muttered as they exited the dark tunnel-cave into the warm sunlight.

They all looked back surprised when the Numemon stopped short of exiting after them, shrieking in terror at the sun and turning to race back into the tunnel systems and sewer.

"What the hell..." Naru trailed off, blinking owlishly.

"Numemon don't like the sunlight much, it's bright and hurts their eyes," Palmon explained.

"So, like vampires but without the bursting into flames part," she muttered and the DigiDestined laughed while the digimon looked at her strangely.

"What is a vampire?" Agumon wondered aloud.

"I believe it's a form of unpleasant creature from their world," Renamon said, shrugging.

"Renamon is right," Matt said, his laughter dying. "Vampires are monsters from our world, but they don't exist, they're made up. Just scary stories."

"Right, vampires couldn't possibly exist. No one could survive on blood alone, it's unnatural," Izzy said, and the digimon nodded though still quite confused. "Though I suppose that is the point."

Looking around everyone realized they'd exited into wide open lands, not a single home or building in sight.

"We should keep walking," Joe said. "We might be able to find somewhere to stay the night and some food."

The others all groaned.

"Joe, don't mention food right now," Sora said. "We're all too hungry to think about it."

Joe rubbed the back of his head nervously, nodded and the group began moving again.

* * *

After miles of walking, running for her life (again) wasn't on Narumi's to-do-list. Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice.

"You'd think after what happened at the factory we'd learn splitting up was a bad idea!" Naru cried as Matt, Gabumon, Renamon and she ran.

Matt looked over at her and sighed.

"Just keep running... wow!"

They all skidded to a stop, staring in shock at the large digimon in front of them.

"Who.. is that?" Naru asked.

"Monzaemon," Renamon said, blinking. "He's not a violent digimon, he's in charge of a place called Toy Town. It's where he takes care of all the abandoned digimon toys."

"Come have fun with us in Toy Town," Monzaemon said, his glowing red and lasers were shot from them.

"Not violent my ass!" Naru yelled as she was grabbed by Matt, and practically dragged as they ran from the area. The laser hit the ground where they once stood. "I am so sick of the digimon being violent when they're not supposed to be!"

"Ditto!" Tai yelled from across the field – apparently she'd said all of that rather loudly.

"Pepper Breath!" Agumon cried, releasing the ball of flames at Monzaemon.

It harmlessly extinguished upon reaching the giant teddy bear digimon, and Naru groaned. Looking around she realized the others had all ran into the same field by now. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Hearts Attack... those two!" Monzaemon shouted after having jumped into the air.

Blue hearts exploded from his chest and Naru saw with shock as two of them captured her brother and Agumon inside.

"Tai, Agumon!" she yelled, as she stopped running and Renamon skidded to a stop and jumped over where Naru and Matt now stood.

"I've had enough of this," Renamon said, curling her body in and then out. "Diamond Storm!"

"Spiral Twister!" Biyomon called, her green spiraling attack helping out Renamon.

Unfortunately it didn't do anything either, though it looked like it had annoyed him a little.

Renamon groaned as she landed gracefully in front of Narumi.

"I'm sorry Naru, I'm just not completely recovered from our fight against Andromon," she said, and Naru gave her partner a reassuring smile.

"Blue Blaster!"

"Super Shocker!"

"Boom Bubble!"

The attacks all struck Monzaemon, but like before it only served to tick the giant teddy bear off.

"Hearts Attack...them all!"

The next thing they all knew, they were trapped inside the hearts.

* * *

"What's going on around here?" Mimi wondered as she and Palmon stood in what she supposed would be the center of Toy Town.

Around her her friends ran, looking as if they were zombies having fun – though at the same town they looked as if they were exhausted or not having as much fun as they let on in their words.

Tai, Matt, Izzy, Sora, Joe, T.K and Naru, they just weren't themselves. For one thing she knew them well enough to know they'd never act this way, well maybe T.K but he was still a child and playing with toys was something normal for him.

Not like this though, she thought as she looked towards where T.K was running from a helicopter toy. Almost as if the toys were playing with them.

"I don't know, Mimi," Palmon said. "But this isn't normal for our friends."

Mimi nodded as she saw Naru running past, a giant jack-in-the box behind her.

"She's not going to like that," Mimi muttered, she could vaguely remember Naru mentioning a fear of anything clown or similarly related. "Come on Palmon, we need to look around, and try to figure out what's wrong around here."

Palmon nodded and they headed off, eventually coming across a large toy chest. Only it wasn't filled with toys, but their digimon friends.

Agumon and the others explained what had happened, and Mimi frowned at how Monzaemon was acting. Mentally she wondered if it could be another black gear controlling another innocent digimon.

"You guys stay put, Palmon and I will find a way to stop Monzaemon," Mimi told them, and turned to leave with Palmon.

Inside the chest, Agumon looked at the others.

"It's not like we can go anywhere."

"I hope she can do it," Biyomon muttered.

"Have faith in our friends," Renamon said from the corner she sat in, curled up some since she was the largest of the rookie digimon there. "Mimi and Palmon will handle it."

The others nodded, Renamon was right. They had to believe in their friends.

* * *

"Did anyone get the number on the train that hit me?" Naru asked, holding her head as she stood up, barely noticing as Sora and Matt helped her to stand straight for a moment.

"Do trains even have numbers?" Sora wondered aloud, and the others shrugged.

Looking around Naru's eyes widened at the large Haniwa-faced cactus with a tuft of orange hair, and wearing a pair of red boxing gloves who Mimi stood in front of.

"What?" Naru began, blinking. "Did I miss something?"

The others laughed.

"We all did, Narumi," Tai said, coming over and wrapping her in a half hug. Happy to see his sister was alright. "Mimi and Palmon saved the day. Monzaemon was being controlled by another of those black gears."

"Seriously... I am getting sick of those gears. Whoever made them I'm gonna kick their asses," Naru said, throwing her fist into her open palm.

"Uh, I'm not even going to mention how you shouldn't try to fight any digimon yourself," Tai said, sighing. "You're too stubborn to even listen."

Naru smirked, and then looked back at the cactus digimon.

"Question, who is that, and where is Palmon?"

The others all chuckled.

"Narumi," Renamon began from behind her. It didn't even startle Naru, she had become used to her partner appearing suddenly. "That_ is_ Palmon, she digivolved to Togemon."

Mimi began explaining what had happened. How Palmon had digivolved and beat Monzaemon, destroying the black gear. In the end the spell on them was broken and the digimon let out of the toy chest.

Naru did shudder at the mention of the toy she was playing with during the spell, or more like was playing with her.

She wouldn't say her fears were phobia's, but clowns of any sort (it could be mimes or even jesters) were as close to a phobia as she had. Ever since she was little and her parents had taken her, Tai, and Kari to see a show which involved clowns in the act.

Besides that she supposed heights could be classified as one of her fears, and swimming since she'd never been a great swimmer. She was pretty sure she'd gotten over her fear of swimming after she'd helped to save T.K from Seadramon, though. At least partially.

"Wow, Togemon sure is a cool digimon, Mimi," Naru said, and Togemon seemed to smile, though it was hard to tell since Togemon only had a '0' shaped mouth, before she glowed and became Palmon once more.

"Thanks," Mimi and Palmon said in unison and the others chuckled at their antics.

After that, Monzaemon explained to them what had happened. They all noticed how he was like a new bear without the black gear effecting him.

"Usually, when kids get tired of their old toys they just get rid of them. It's so sad, so I created this place to be a home for these toys. Then I wanted to find a way to make the toys more important, and then I found a way to have their owners walk in their toys' shoes."

"By making kids into zombies?" Mimi asked, confused.

"I don't think that's what he really intended to do, Mimi," Joe said and Monzaemon nodded.

"Exactly Joe, I never meant for this to happen, but an evil feeling came over me," Monzaemon said.

"It had to be that black gear," Sora said and the others nodded.

"I'm starting to take these gears real personally, they're more trouble then anything we've come across so far here," Tai said.

"Yeah," Matt agreed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "If all the digimon we face are influenced by those things..."

"This just got a whole lot more dangerous," Naru said, sighing. "Didn't it?"

The others nodded.

"I really am sorry about all of this, I'll never do this again, promise."

"It's alright, Monzaemon," Sora said, smiling. "We know you wouldn't hurt us on purpose."

"Right, and now there is only one way for me to show my gratitude for helping me return to myself," Monzaemon said, getting up to his feet. "Here we go."

"Uh oh," Tai muttered and Monzaemon smiled.

"This is my gift to you," he began, jumping slightly into the air. "Hearts Attack... with a hug!"

Soon they were all inside a reddish-pink heart, laughing and smiling as they floated.

"How about a kiss for a hero?" the Numemon leader asked as he popped up.

"No," Mimi said, smiling happily.

"Oh what gal," Numemon said, not offended at all. "She'll come around."

* * *

"Goodbye friends, be careful on your adventure!" Monzaemon called, waving after the DigiDestined, and their digimon as they left Toy Town.

It had been a long time since he'd seen a group of humans in the digital world. He'd just about given up on seeing it happen again.

"I'm sorry about everything with that black gear, Lady. Attacking them was never my true intentions," Monzaemon said, but there didn't seem to be anyone there to hear him.

From the shadows a mature, yet still young voice spoke.

"You worry too much my old friend," She said. "I was already aware what would happen, I apologize for not helping you out. I wanted to, but..."

Monzaemon turned, smiling at the mystery digimon he apparently held great respect for.

"I understand, you had your reasons, Lady," he began, interrupting the shadowed digimon. "I should show my appreciation."

The figure in the shadows froze as she took a step back.

"Now, Monzaemon aren't I a tad too old..."

"Nonsense!" Monzaemon cried, and jumped. "Hearts Attack... with a hug!"


	7. The Black Gears and Evil's Face Part I

**Child of Balance**

**Chapter 7: The Black Gears and Evil's Face Part I. **

In Hindsight, they should have known things were about to get worse after Joe found where the Black Gears were coming from. Or when they realized climbing that mountain didn't do much more than give them a good view.

Narumi should have trusted her gut, but in her defense she simply thought she'd eaten too much the night before. Like all bad situations this one started as a normal day (or days as it may be).

Well, as normal as eight kids lost in a new world can get.

* * *

"You know, I think I miss the desert heatwave right about now," Naru said, shivering slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm.

"I don't know, it's cold but I think we can handle it a little easier than heat stroke," Sora said, though she didn't sound so sure herself.

"I wonder if it'll snow!?" T.K exclaimed, grinning over at them.

"If it gets any colder, that is a very high probability," Izzy replied, and Matt snorted.

"If it gets any colder we're all going to be digi-popsicles," he quipped.

"Ah, it's not that cold guys," Tai said, laughing.

The others looked at the goggle-head weirdly.

"Maybe if you a penguin or an Eskimo," Izzy said.

"Think about it like this. If it snows, we'll throw some snowballs," Tai said, grinning.

"Oh, and we could build snowmen!" Mimi said, clearly excited.

"Or make snow angels," Naru suggested, smiling.

Gomamon looked at Gabumon, and whispered, "What do you think Snowmon is?"

Gabumon shrugged slightly.

"Maybe a digimon from their world, or some sort of game perhaps?" he suggested.

The other digimon blinked, wondering if perhaps Gabumon was right or not. The kids all chuckled at the conversation between digimon and Izzy began to exsplain.

"It's nothing like that," he began. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Is it edible, maybe?" Tentomon asked.

"I'm starting to think Snowmon isn't exactly a food or a person," Renamon began, and Naru grinned and nodded up at her partner.

"You're right, Renamon," Naru said. "It's actually Snowmen, not Snowmon. It's a statue made of snow that we make back home. Then we take stones or other small objects and create a face for him. Sometimes we even give him a scarf or a hat."

"Yes, Narumi is right. The best part about snow though is snow balls, which are balls made of snow that we throw at each other. It's a fun game that we play during the winter months," Izzy explained.

"You throw food?" Tentomon asked, and Naru shook her head.

"No, well yes... but snow isn't food. I guess you _could _eat it, but I wouldn't recommend it," she said.

Naru watched as the others continued to talk, discussing what they'd do if or more like when it snowed.

She had to admit, the prospect of snow sounded fun. She wasn't exactly one who overly enjoyed the winter months, not like her brother or sister. She liked snow, but the cold had always irked her a little.

Her mother had a habit of wrapping all her children up in layers of clothes if they went out to play in the winter, so it wasn't that bad. Currently though, Naru only had a thin shirt, that while it had longer sleeves and a high collar, the sleeves only went just slightly passed her elbows.

_At least I have my gloves_, Naru thought as she rubbed her hands together, looking at the silver gloves she wore.

"You know, they're just trying to be cheerful, rather then think negatively," Naru said as she moved to stand beside the blue haired boy.

Joe looked down at the blonde and sighed, crossing his arms. He knew she was right, but they really needed to take this more seriously.

"Get serious, everyone. It'd be horrible if it started snowing right now," Joe grumbled. "None of us have heavy clothing on..."

"What's the matter with that?" Tai asked, hands behind his head.

"Lighten up a little, Joe," Sora said, patting Joe's shoulder. "We're just trying to look on the positive side of things. Otherwise we'd all be miserable."

Joe sighed.

"You just don't get it do you," Joe said. "It matters. If one of us get's sick, we'd be in big trouble. Also, if it snows now we'd not be able to camp out anymore."

"Hey, Tai, when's it gonna snow do you think?" TK asked in excitement, completely ignoring the blue haired boy.

"Probably any second now," Tai answered, happy for the distraction from what Joe had brought up.

"Right on Joe's head as well!" Matt added, jokingly as he chuckled.

"That'd be funny!" TK laughed.

"I can't wait to see his face," Tai quipped.

"Go ahead, ignore me, but when you get sick or your tootsies freeze, don't come crying to me. I'll just say I told you so; it's always best to be safe rather than sorry," Joe said.

Naru could see he was getting a little annoyed with everyone's laughing and joking around.

"Alright, lets just keep moving. I think we need to remember that we need to find somewhere to stay the night soon, and preferably somewhere relatively warmer," Narumi said, and everyone nodded after a second.

They continued on, and soon they came to part of the forest which was covered in snow. It was odd, behind them it was cold but there was no snow, but in front of them was even colder and covered in the white flakes.

"Great," Naru said, sighing and Renamon placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Out of all the digimon Renamon seemed to have the easiest time in the cold, probably because she had fur everywhere. Gomamon also had fur as did Gabumon (a pelt at least), but Renamon's seemed thicker and better suited to wintery weather.

* * *

They all stood in the rocky area, which thankfully was a quite a bit warmer since it was covered in hot springs big enough for one person, maybe two. At least, it would be if it wasn't so boiling.

"There goes my hot bath," Mimi muttered sadly as she sat before one of the boiling springs.

"Ah man," Tai grumbled.

"We'd be cooked if we were to jump into this," Tentomon said, a slight tone of remorse in his voice.

"Yes, boiled alive, there is no doubt about that," Izzy confirmed, nodding.

"But it looks so inviting," Palmon said, looking at the purple colored boiling water.

"Well it would be, if you were a vegetable," Matt said.

Naru snorted, mentally wondering if she should point out Palmon was a plant-like digimon. So it might not bother her in the long run, at least in theory.

"Look, finding a place to bathe is the least of our worries, compared to starving that is," Joe said, drawing everyone's attention. "We need to find something to eat and there's nothing edible in sight!"

"But there is, Joe!" T.K said, smiling.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing here but a bunch of rocks and boiling water!" Joe said.

"Look!" T.K said, pointing in one direction.

Everyone looked in the direction the boy was pointing, and there was a shocked silence. Joe's jaw dropped, and everyone else gasped in surprise and glee.

"You've got to be kidding me," Joe muttered. "Tell me I'm imagining this. What would a refrigerator be doing all the way out here? Even so there's no way it's working, no electricity or outlet."

"It's for real!" Tai exclaimed, moving closer to the kitchen appliance.

"Hey, were there's a fridge, there's gotta be grub," Matt reasoned.

"No way, that's not possible! There's not way!" Joe insisted.

"We won't know until we look," Sora concluded, moving closer to the fridge. "Come on, there's no time like the present."

"I don't really think that's a good id..." Joe began, but he was cut off.

"I want hot cocoa." Mimi's said, hands clasped in front of her happily. "Oh...I wonder if there is any fruits?"

"What's hot cocoa?" Palmon inquired, looking at Mimi questioningly.

"Huh, oh it's a chocolate drink that's hot. People drink it when it's cold out, it helps to warm you up and taste good too," Mimi said, smiling.

"I can't believe this," Naru muttered, still getting over the fact they'd found a fridge in the middle of nowhere.

It was like the phone booths or the vending machines the Numemon had hidden in. she sure hoped this time wasn't like that.

"I don't really understand, but it seems to really be here Narumi," Renamon said from beside her, and they watched as Tai opened it to reveal dozens upon dozens of eggs.

"Whoa, eggs!" Tai said, and everyone could see the rows of eggs inside.

"Wow...there must be a zillion of them," Agumon said.

"Probably not quite that many," Izzy said, a look on his face as if he was trying to guess the exact number of eggs inside the fridge.

"At least we have food now," Sora said, and Tai grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, These will keep us all fed for a month!" Tai exclaimed, obviously happy.

Narumi felt her stomach growl, and sighed. It had been some time since they last ate anything. Part of her wasn't so sure it was a good idea to eat the eggs, who knew where they came from or if they were someone elses property, but her hunger won out. If she didn't eat something soon her stomach would start eating itself.

"Wait a minute, you shouldn't even touch them, we don't know if they're safe for human consumption!" Joe warned them.

"Then I'll be the guinea-pig, if I turn purple and orange you'll know they're not edible." Tai said, smiling reassuringly.

"I don't think you'd turn purple and orange, Tai," Naru said, shaking her head. "I think Joe means we could get sick, or die worse case scenario."

"Exactly, if we're all bed ridden than we'd be stuck here for days and who knows what could happen," Joe said.

"But we've got to eat something," Matt argued. "I say we go ahead, sometimes we've got to take risks. Besides, they look fine."

"They look yummy," T.K said.

Naru grimaced, and looked at Joe.

"I'm sorry Joe, I get where you're coming from but they're right. We've got to eat or we'll be worse off," she said.

"I can see what you mean, Naru," Joe began. "But there is more to it, even if the eggs are edible they still don't belong to us. That'd make us all thieves!"

"Unless you want to end up eating the rocks, we don't have too much choice," Matt said, stuffing one of his hands into his pocket.

"I'm sure they'd say yes if they knew we were in trouble," Sora assured Joe. "But as Matt and Narumi pointed out, we don't have a choice if we want to eat anything."

"Exactly, we'd tell them it's an emergency situation, if there is anyone to claim them," Izzy said. "I doubt we'd have to worry about this though, we've been here for some time and have yet to spot a single human being. Other than ourselves of course."

"Rationalize away," Tentomon said, nodding.

Joe sighed, his face fell some and he gave up. He could see all of their points, and at least Naru seemed to want to agree with him. She at least understood where he was coming from, but he also knew they were right.

At least about the eggs; they did need to eat, and the eggs were the only thing around. He just didn't like the idea of taking what didn't belong to them.

"Right, so let's get cooking!" Agumon said excitedly, and the others nodded.

Naru pretty much floated around helping Sora and Biyomon who handled making sunny-side up eggs, and T.K and Patamon who were making boiled eggs.

She personally made scrambled eggs with Matt and Tai's help – mostly Matt's, Gabumon's and Renamon's since Tai was as useless at cooking as most eleven year old boys.

Apparently Matt had some idea how to cook since he sometimes took care of cooking at home for him and his father. Narumi couldn't help but feel surprised that he trusted her enough with this information, and for some reason her stomach felt all fluttery.

It confused her, but it wasn't something she hadn't felt before when she was around Matt. Like when she'd woken up after the whole Seadramon ordeal, only to find she'd been using Matt as a pillow.

Soon enough, Tai and and the others had left to find some things that could be used for a fire later, and for plates and bowls now.

"You got this, Naru?" Matt asked, looking at her from where he sat on his knees beside her.

"Yeah, you can go ahead and help Tai and the others," she said, smiling widely.

Matt nodded, stood up and headed to help the others. This left Naru to finish the eggs with Renamon who mostly just watched since she had no idea how to cook something like eggs.

It was about ten or so more minutes before they'd all just about finished. Joe was finishing up another pair of chop sticks when the boys arrived back carrying sticks and rocks, along with other things that could be used for bowls.

Thankfully there happened to be a large circular stone that was quite a bit like a table big enough to sit all of them comfortably.

_"__T__rès _gourmet," Mimi said as she sat the last bowl of eggs down on the table, and they all sat down to begin to eat what they'd cooked.

There seemed to be enough eggs to feed all of them and then some.

"Go on, dig in everybody," Biyomon invited cheerfully, placing some food in her bowl.

That was all it took to break the small traces of tension, and everyone heaped their bowls with whatever type of eggs they wanted. None were shy about trying a bit of all the eggs; sunny-side up, boiled or scrambled.

Narumi only wished there was something to go with it, to make it less bland. Salt and pepper, or any type of seasoning... even some fish or something along those lines. She shrugged as she dug into her food.

_At least it's edible and filling, _she thought.

"I haven't had a meal like this in a long time, my stomach's chimin'," Tai said after swallowing another bite.

"How long has it been since we last ate?" Sora wondered aloud. "Seems like so long ago."

"Perchance, because we've been living off what we can acquire in the areas we are in?" Izzy suggested.

"I don't know about that, but If we had some ketchup to go with these eggs, it would be perfect," Matt said.

"Yummy, I love ketchup on eggs," TK agreed.

"That sounds pretty gross to me," Sora said, and Naru nodded, it did sound pretty gross. "Now cheese, that I wouldn't mind having."

Naru smiled, nodded.

"I agree, though I think I would prefer having ramen with this,"

"Ramen?" everyone (sans Joe and Tai) asked.

"Who's ramen?" Agumon asked.

Tai laughed.

"Not who, what," he answered. "Ramen is a noodle soup, it's delicious, and something my sister here is addicted to. I swear, if she could she'd survive on ramen alone."

Naru pouted as the others chuckled lightly.

A few moments later Gomamon looked over at his partner, observing that the blue haired boy hadn't seemed to touch his food.

"What's the matter, Joe, you haven't eaten anything?" he asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking that if we were able to go home ketchup, cheese or ramen wouldn't be a problem." Joe sighed, looking down into his eggs morosely. "Oh well…I guess it doesn't matter."

"Oh great, now I'm homesick," Mimi said, sighing as she placed her bowl down in front of her.

She couldn't help but think about her family, her mother, and father. She missed being able to lay in the sun and just relax. Most of all she missed being able to know where home was and how to get there.

"You're right, now I wanna go home too." T.K said.

"It's been ten days since we've been here. I wonder if anyone has realized we're missing and tried to find us," Izzy pondered, and the others all sighed.

Sora shook her head, trying to think on the brighter side of things.

"Cheer up everyone! Tell you what, tell me how you like your eggs and I'll try to do my very best," Sora said encouragingly, and they all couldn't help but smile back at the orange-ish brunette.

"I prefer my eggs to be covered in salt and pepper, but I doubt we'll find any of that around here," Joe said.

"I like soy sauce, just the thought of it makes my mouth water!" Tai exclaimed, following Joe's example.

Naru laughed, shaking her head.

"And you think my taste are weird," Naru quipped. "I've already said my preference, but I don't expect you to be a miracle worker Sora."

"Ditto," Matt began, but soon his lips quirked upward in a half smirk-smile. "But I wouldn't say no to salsa."

Sora laughed.

"How 'bout a reality check instead?" Sora said, jokingly.

"Better than Ketchup," Naru said, smiling at Matt teasingly.

"I'll have mine with mustard and jellybeans," Izzy said.

Tai gave a nervous laugh, along with some of the others as they stared at Izzy strangely.

"That doesn't sound very appetizing, Izzy," Tentomon said, and then tilted his head slightly. "What are jelly beans?"

"It's a form of candy," Izzy said.

"Gross," Mimi said, shuddering.

"Yeah, how gross." Matt commented, a hint of a joke in his tone.

"Don't knock it until you try it," Izzy said, matter-of-fact.

"Jellybeans, that sounds good." T.K said.

"Eh, disgusting more like. My favorite is eggs topped with maple-syrup, yummy! Sometimes I like them with cherry's on top!" Mimi exclaimed, a bright smile on her face.

"That's weird," Sora cringed. "Cherries on eggs... at least maple-syrup is not as strange sounding."

"But I bet it's good," T.K added in.

There was laughter from many in the group, though Joe still looked a bit down.

"You're all making me lose my appetite, I just like plain eggs! Salt and pepper, simple and good," Joe sighed. "I really wish we could talk about something other than egg recipes."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, they're just having fun. Making light of a bad situation," Gomamon said, trying to calm Joe down.

It didn't seem to be working out too well.

"Yeah, it's better to laugh about it than wallow in self pity," Naru said softly.

"Come on, Joe, join in on the party," Matt said, encouragingly.

"I think it's really too late for him, guys. I think Joe thinks we've all gone a little crazy over these eggs," Tai joked, laughing almost nervously.

"Well really, jelly-beans and cherries on eggs, that's just crazy talk." Joe huffed, shaking his head and placing his bowl of barely eaten eggs in front of him.

Gomamon sighed. "I'm afraid Joe's just not the kind-a guy that's meant to be adaptable."

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Joe snapped, looking at Gomamon with narrowed eyes.

"Let's face it Joe, you're kind-of a stick-in-the-mud," Gomamon said. "You should try chilling out, live a little."

"I'm just practical!" Joe retorted, anger creeping into his voice. "Someone has to be the reliable one around here, someone has to think of these things."

"You're stuffy!"

"Someone has to have their head on straight, who knows what could happen otherwise!" Joe argued, nearly yelling by this point.

"You wanna fight, Joe? Huh, huh, huh?" Gomamon asked, moving around almost like you would expect a boxer to, if that boxer was a digimon that resembled a white and blue seal.

"Sure!" Joe began standing up, but Matt stepped between the two before they could actually begin to fight.

Naru was close behind. She didn't like to see friends fight, she never had. She might know Martial Arts, but she'd never begun learning to start fights.

She'd begun taking Martial Arts as a hobby, and to help her be able to protect her family – from what, well you never know when you might need to defend yourself or someone else.

Turned out she was a very good student, and learned rather quickly.

"Hey, you gotta calm down." Matt said, grabbing a hold of Joe's arm in order to hold him back.

"Matt is right, Joe. Gomamon doesn't mean anything by it, he's just trying to cheer you up," Narumi said, picking Gomamon up in case he did try something.

She didn't think he would, but she could see the digimon needed to calm down some as well. It also helped in case Joe decided to fight anyways.

He'd have to attack her to get to Gomamon, and she knew Joe well enough to know he really wasn't the violent type. Neither him or Gomamon were.

"I am calm!" Joe said, pulling his arm from Matt. He winced slightly as he pulled his arm into himself some. "Why'd you have to squeeze my arm?"

"Sorry, but you just don't seem to be yourself today Joe. You're acting like a basket-case." Matt said.

"I am just trying to be careful. Anything could go wrong, or happen," Joe argued. "I'm telling you guys, you're all asking for trouble!"

Joe stormed off, and everyone sighed.

"I didn't mean to upset him more," Gomamon said, looking up at Naru from where he was held by her. "I just wanted to try and cheer him up."

"I don't know what's gotten into him lately," Sora muttered. "He's just so unlike Joe."

"It could be the stress," Izzy suggested and Narumi sighed.

"I think it's a bit of everything," she began. "We all just need to calm down. Fighting amongst ourselves will only lead to bad places."

They all nodded, understanding and agreeing.

It was strange how such a petite girl, one of the youngest in the group – her birthday being much later in the year than the others – could be the mediator so easily. She just seemed to know what to say when things got rough and balanced them all out rather well also.

Suddenly they heard T.K's voice coming from the direction they'd found the fridge.

"Hey, look what I found," T.K called and they all moved to stand with him and Patamon.

T.K was standing by a pile of what looked like apples, though they were golden with an almost orange-ish tent. There was a moderately large pile of them, enough for them and the digimon.

"Oh wow, are those apples?" Tai asked.

"No, they're better," Agumon said, in wonderment. "I never thought I'd get to eat one though!"

"They just seem like apples to me," Mimi said.

"They're sweetapples, each one taste like a different desert or sweet," Renamon explained, a small tone of excitement in her voice.

"How is that possible?" Izzy wondered.

"Really, they taste like any sweet?" T.K asked and the digimon nodded.

"Yes, but they're rare, even rarer than meatapples these days. Once, quite some time ago there was an abundance of these apples, but no longer," Palmon answered. "I wonder who left them?"

"I don't know, I never saw anyone," Naru said, looking around.

The others all nodded, also not having seen anything. Not even the digimon had noticed anyone, but than again, they were piled by the fridge, or more like behind the fridge in such a way they probably wouldn't have seen anyone from where they'd eaten.

"I say we chow down," Tai said, grinning as he grabbed one of the apples and went to take a bite.

"No!" the digimon cried, a look of panic on their face.

Tai stopped short of biting down and looked at them oddly.

"What's the matter?"

"You have to cook them first, Tai," Agumon explained, sighing in relief that his partner hadn't taken a bite. "It's the same for meatapples, which taste like any sort of meat."

"Okay, I understand why a meatapple would have to be cooked," Matt began. "But why would a sweetapple. What if it's a sweet or desert that should be served cold?"

"Oh, well the cooking isn't long at all. Just a few seconds dipped in one of these hot springs should do it," Biyomon said, smiling. "And I've heard that sweets that should be served cold taste as if they are cold and hot deserts taste hot. Of course, you should wait a minute or so for the apple to cool off before eating it."

"Makes sense," Izzy began, rubbing his chin. "The cooking process probably unlocks something in the apples... like the flavor of each sweet for instance. Without that they probably taste strange, like eating an egg without cooking it first."

They others grimaced at his analogies but nodded.

"Well, let's cook these apples and have desert," Naru said, smiling. "Though, someone should go get Joe."

"I'll do it," Gomamon said, and Naru allowed him to hop down from her arms. "I'll be back before the apples get cold."

* * *

The sweetapples were just as great as the digimon had described.

They each tasted differently, and surprisingly flavors of deserts common in their world. It made Naru wonder how similar the two places were, she already come to accept that the digital world (that they were currently in) and home were two different places, if not dimensions all together.

She had been surprised by the flavor her sweetapple had been; Dango. The others had flavors ranging from Strawberry short cake, pie, chocolate, cheesecake, ice cream and on. Personally, Dango was one of her favorite foods. Her mother would go out and buy them some every sunday as long as they'd been good the previous week.

After that it wasn't long before the sun set. Unfortunately, Narumi had to deal with Tai and Matt getting into an argument.

It was ridiculous, really, but she wasn't all that surprised. Her brother and Matt had similar personalities, though they were also opposites. So it was bound that the two would butt heads more often than not.

While it had been a major annoyance for everyone, especially when they ended up dragging poor Joe into their fight, Naru could also understand what had caused it.

Tai had wanted to climb Infinity Mountain, the tallest mountain in their area, if not the entire digital world. Matt felt it was too dangerous.

Naru agreed with both boys. While it would be dangerous to climb, it was also the best place to get a lay of the land, and find out where they were and where to go next.

Unfortunately it had taken her and Sora yelling at the two boys to get them to stop fighting over something so obvious.

What choice did they really have?

It was dangerous, but in the end she felt Tai was right. Though, Tai could have gone about explaining it better, and realizing Matt only had the best intentions at heart.

In the end she'd made the decision for them. Pointing out exactly what she thought of the matter. They'd all climb it after a nights rest, and a good meal in case they came across violent digimon.

She made it clear that while they both had valid points they really had no other choice but to climb Infinity Mountain and it wasn't worth fighting over.

Soon after they had all found a cave to sleep in for the night, and she along with everyone else had fallen asleep. Morning seemed to come too quickly, but that could have simply been Sora's loud wake up call.

"Joe's gone!" Sora cried once they'd all sat up startled.

"Gone?" Tai asked, blinking. "What do you mean, he's gone?"

"Gone as in not here, Tai," Sora said, sighing. "I woke up and noticed he wasn't here. I went out to see if he had woken before us, but I only found a note written in the dirt. I think..." Sora bit her lip and Naru groaned.

"He went to climb Infinity Mountain, didn't he?" she asked and there were gasps and wide eyes all around.

Sora shrugged.

"I don't know, but I don't know where else Joe and Gomamon could have gone," Sora said.

By now everyone was standing, all of them rather worried for their friend.

"We have to go after him," Matt said, running a hand through his hair. "This is my fault..."

"No, it's mine," Tai began. "We've been kind of pushy..."

Naru scoffed.

"That's one way to put it," she said. "It's both of your faults, but at the same time it's no ones. We don't know your fight or the way we've been treating Joe recently has anything to do with why he chose to go alone."

"Right," Mimi said. "But that doesn't matter, right? We need to go after him."

For once Mimi was talking sense, they thought, a little surprised by her sudden change. Most were used to the rather ditzy and almost self centered comments. They'd come to understand Mimi was rather spoiled at home, but also had a good heart and was by no means stupid. She just had a different way of seeing things.

"Yeah, lets go!" T.K exclaimed, and he began to walking quickly from the cave.

Matt was quicker, stopping his little brother with a hand on his shoulder.

"Not so fast, T.K," Matt said. "We've got to think this over first."

"Matt's right," Tai said, to some of their surprise. "We'll go in groups. Sora, and I will go after Joe by air, and everyone else will follow up after us on foot."

"Just the two of you?" Matt asked, unsure if that was the best idea.

"Biyomon can digivolve into Birdramon, and fly. Agumon can become Greymon, in case Joe's in trouble," Tai explained.

"You should take someone else as well," Izzy said. "Gomamon hasn't digivolved yet and if there is trouble... Birdramon and Greymon might need the help."

"I'll go," Naru said. "Renamon can fly as Kyubimon as well, and she's one of the more powerful digimon we have."

"Hey," Palmon said, almost seeming to pout if that was even possible for a digimon.

Naru smiled over at the plant type digimon.

"No offense, Palmon. I know you all are powerful, I just meant Kyubimon can hold her own against a higher level digimon longer if need be."

"My species is a bit different from most digimon, it's why I'm so powerful. Really, it's thanks to Narumi. How my species is raised plays a part on our power, intelligence and personality in the future," Renamon said, trying to find the right words.

"What do you mean..." Naru trailed off and Renamon sighed.

"It's hard to explain, but it takes a bit more for Renamon in general to digivolve. The fact it happened so quickly says something about our bond. I have seen some of my species before, none that I have known have digivolved passed Kyubimon and those that have are rather experienced digimon who have been Renamon or Kyubimon for many years."

"That's right, I've heard some things about Renamon's in the past, of course I haven't really given it much thought until now. I'd forgotten you were a data attribute," Tentomon said.

Renamon nodded.

"This is all very educational," Matt said. "But we need to get moving. We don't know how long ago Joe left."

Everyone nodded and Renamon, and Biyomon digivolved and with one final word to the rest of the group they took off for Infinity Mountain.

* * *

"Birdramon!" Sora cried after Unimon had blasted the large bird down part of the mountain.

Sora slid down to the next trail ledge to make sure Birdramon was alright, concern swimming in her maroon eyes. Naru looked on worried about the girl.

"Naru, let me drop you off with Joe, it could become dangerous if you stay on my back," Kyubimon said, looking back at her slightly.

Naru nodded and jumped off once Kyubimon was low enough. Running over to where Tai and Joe were she noticed Agumon digivolve to Greymon.

"What were you thinking, Joe, running off alone?" Naru asked.

"Hey, he wasn't alone, I was with him," Gomamon protested and Naru sighed.

"We know that, we were just worried," Tai said, and Naru nodded.

She couldn't have said it better herself. It was soon after that one of Unimon's attacks hit the mountain side and sent rocks falling down the side. They all crouched down some, away from the rock slide (Greymon shielding them as much as he could) and noticed how Unimon had turned his attention to Sora and Birdramon.

"Oh no," Joe muttered, standing. "He's going after Sora!"

"Kyubimon!" Naru cried and Kyubimon looked back at her partner, and than to Sora in understanding.

What caught her attention though was the difference in Narumi, Kyubimon was positive she'd seen her partner's eyes flash crimson...but she had no time to think of that.

"Fox Tail Inferno!" Kyubimon called, intercepting Unimon's attack at Sora and Birdramon.

"Meteor Wing!" Birdramon cried once she'd taken to the air.

Unimon was a quick flier, and was able to evade the fiery attack from Birdramon, headbutting the digimon in the gut area and sending it back down towards the mountain where Sora was.

"Sora!" Joe yelled in concern. "This isn't good... we're loosing."

Naru clinched her fist, wishing there was something more she could do. Something that could help Kyubimon, but there was no way she could take on Unimon. Maybe hand to hand combat would work against some types of digimon, like the more humanoid types, but not against Unimon.

It was that black gears fault, she realized as she glared at the black gear protruding from Unimon's back. Suddenly she turned upon hearing Gomamon yelling for Joe. Turning in the direction she figured the blue haired boy had gone, she gasped.

"Joe, don't..." she trailed off, realizing her words were too late as Joe jumped onto Unimon's back and began to try and pull the black gear out.

Narumi sighed, and muttered, "Boys...so stupid." She shook her head in exasperation, slapping her hand over her face.

She watched with apprehension as Joe struggled to pull the gear out, Gomamon trying to talk sense into the boy while Joe argued reasons why he had to get the gear out.

"Joe!" Gomamon exclaimed in fear as he saw his partner falling from Unimon's back to possible death.

"No," Naru muttered, eyes widening.

"Joe!" Tai gasped, and moments later they noticed Gomamon begin to glow.

"He...Gomamon is digivolving," Narumi said under her breath.

"Gomamon digivolve to... Ikkakumon!"

They all were surprised to see just what sort of digimon Gomamon had become. Before he was on the medium size, and more seal like. Now he kind of reminded them of a large walrus-polar bear cross with a horn on his head.

"My turn," Ikkakumon said after catching Joe on his furry back. "Hold on Joe, cause we're going for a wild ride."

Kyubimon came to stand by Narumi, checking discretely to make sure she was alright. Sora and Birdramon were also recovered and hovering some distance above Narumi and Kyubimon. Tai and Greymon were not far from were his sister stood.

"Should we help?" Sora asked, looking from Birdramon, the others, and back to where Ikkakumon had knocked Unimon down the mountain a bit with a headbutt.

Considering Ikkakumon's horn it probably didn't feel to good for Unimon. Kyubimon shook her vulpine head, the golden-yellow fur moving lightly with the movement.

"No, this is not our battle," she told them, and after a hesitant moment they all nodded in understanding.

This was Gomamon (currently Ikkakumon) and Joe's battle. This was Ikkakumon's fight and chance to prove himself.

"Harpoon Torpedo!" Ikkakumon said, and two of his horns were launched at Unimon (though, another one appeared pretty much immediately after, as if he'd never fired his horn at the flying digimon).

"He's too fast, you missed," Joe said, and Ikkakumon chuckled.

"I don't think so," Ikkakumon said and they watched as the horns split open to release missiles which hit Unimon.

The black gear was dislodged and destroyed, while Unimon took to the skies and flew off.

"Yeah!" Joe exclaimed, and the others cheered.

* * *

Above them, away from their view was a tall dark figure, with tattered black wings that sort of resembled a bat-like humanoid. He was almost what you'd expect to see from a child's nightmare.

"They're getting more powerful," he muttered, teeth clinched together as he looked down on them. "But... that girl. I sense something different about her."

His eyes narrowed as they locked on the blonde girl with Kyubimon, which became Renamon moments later. She was different from the others, she had a power about her. He had an inkling exactly what sort of nuisance she could become in the future, along with Renamon.

Though Renamon wasn't surprising to him, that species had always been powerful while still young. Their rookie forms being able to handle fights against champions by themselves if they had the time to plan and use their cunning tricks and speed.

He was loosing his focus though. Kyubimon hadn't been the only one to notice the sudden difference in the blonde girl, he too had taken notice of the crimson color her eyes seemed to flash. With his superior eyesight that wasn't hard for him to accomplish, and it intrigued him. Just what made this girl so different from the others?


	8. The Black Gears and Evil's Face Part II

**AN: So, I've finally finished this chapter. **

**It was supposed to be a lot longer, but I decided to update as soon as possible since it has been so long, and it turned out a lot shorter than I really wanted. It also caused 'The Black Gears and Evil's Face' to become three parts, instead of the intended two. I will try to update this story again sooner, but I am not sure exactly how soon I'll be able to get the next chapter up. **

* * *

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**Child of Balance.**

**Chapter 8: The Black Gears and Evil's Face Part II. **

So, it was where they'd defeated Unimon the others found them, about ten or fifteen minutes later – none of them actually had a watch.

That was the first sign something was going to go wrong – looking back Naru wished she'd listened to her gut.

Speaking of her gut... well, she'd never dreamed she might become more a liability to her friends than a help. After all, how does one react to finding out they have a giant fox sealed inside them?

**.**

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**.**

"I won't help you, Devimon," Leomon growled out, glaring at the fallen digimon. "I will not allow you to bring harm to the DigiDestined."

Leomon pulled his saber from it's sheath at his waist and readied himself to attack Devimon. The lion-like digimon was blindsided though as Devimon seemingly disappeared.

Ogremon laughed nastily and Leomon screamed as he felt claw dig into his back.

"Touch of Evil," he heard Devimon say from behind him and he knew nothing more but orders he received – unable to stop himself.

"Now, obey my every command, Leomon," Devimon said, and Leomon stood, head bowed and arms seemingly limp at his side.

"Yes, I shall obey," Leomon said, his voice deeper and more grunt-like. As his head rose it was clear to see his eyes were now completely white, probably an effect of the tainted darkness now corrupting the once loyal and moral digimon.

"Now go, destroy the DigiDestined," Devimon ordered, and he watched with a twisted smirk as the two digimon left.

"Now," he muttered to himself. "Let's see how they do."

**.**

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**.**

Narumi sighed as she sat with Renamon, using Matt's shoulder blade as a pillow of sorts – the blond boy having taken a seat beside and slightly in front of her.

"I can't believe we came all this way, only to find nothing," she muttered.

"Hey, don't be too down," Matt said. "We did find out something. Wherever we are, it's an island."

"Which begs the question," Izzy spoke up. "How did we get on an island of all things?"

No one had the answer. What they all knew, though some were still trying to hold onto denial, was that they were nowhere near home.

"What are you doing, Tai?" Agumon asked, causing everyone to look over to where the boy sat looking out over the land with his telescope.

He had paper in his lap and a pencil – probably from Mimi since she seemed to have the strangest stuff tucked away in her large bag – and was drawing something.

Narumi raised an eyebrow, taking Matt's offered hand as she went to stand. Renamon followed her up and everyone headed towards Tai.

"I'm making a map," Tai replied. "I figure it'll help us determine where we've been and where we haven't. Maybe we can find a way home with it."

"You know what a map is, Aniki?" Narumi said, wittily.

Tai looked behind him at her, rolling his eyes.

"Very funny, Imouto," he returned, and then looked back to his map.

"It's a good idea," Sora began and than words died in her throat as she saw what Tai had been drawing. "Uh...what is that supposed to be?"

Tai twitched, and the others were sure they saw a vein throb on his his temple.

"It's a map?"

Izzy looked at the map and than at Tai, incredulously.

"To where?" he asked. "An alien planet?"

"Yeah, if we follow that we'll end up at the bottom of the ocean or something," Sora muttered, sighing and Tai's shoulders dropped as he glowered.

"I've got to admit, though. You are the king of doodles, man," Matt said, chuckling slightly.

"I'd like to see you guys do better!" Tai exclaimed at everyone, his face red.

"What are we going to do?" Joe asked, wanting to change the subject. "It looks like we're on some island in the middle of nowhere. Who knows if we'll ever find any other people."

Renamon wondered if she should mention that being as they were in the Digital World, the possibility was very, very slim. Not impossible, she'd heard legend of humans being in the digital world before, but not probable.

"Maybe we should head back down the mountain?" Naru suggested. "We've found what we wanted, staying here will only burn daylight we need to figure out where we'll go next."

The others couldn't help but agree and Tai continued to finish the final touches on his map. He didn't understand why they wanted to bash on it so much, he could read it perfectly!

"Wait!" Tai cried when he felt Sora grab his arm and pull him up to follow the others.

He quickly grabbed onto his homemade map and walk at a slow jog to keep up with Sora who didn't seem to mind pulling him along. They hadn't made it far when part of trail down gave way, and a lion-type digimon which stood on two legs and very humanoid in appearance other than the fact he was a lion appeared across from them all.

"You'll go no further today, DigiDestined," the lion said, his voice having a growling quality to it.

"Huh, who are you?" Tai asked, as surprised as the others at the unexpected digimon.

"Oh, Leomon," Gomamon said, smiling.

"Don't worry everyone, that's just Leomon. He's a proud, loyal digimon who would never hurt a fly. He won't..."

Naru's eyebrow twitched as she looked over at Agumon who had begun speaking.

"I swear on all things digital, Agumon. If you say he won't hurt us, I'll throw you down the mountain," she muttered dryly and the orange digimon gulped, scooting away from his partner's sister.

"You will not go any further, you will die here, DigiDestined."

Tai blinked, stepping forward slightly to speak, "Uh, Leomon we don't know who you are personally but you've got it all wrong. It's just a big misunderstanding. We're not these DigiDestined you're looking for..."

"I think you're making him angrier, Nii-san," Narumi muttered, loud enough they all heard her clearly.

It was then Leomon leaped into action and Naru sighed, knowing what would happen next. Naru liked a good fight, don't get her wrong, but she also didn't go searching for them either. She also didn't like these sort of altercations where she knew it was life or death.

Leomon was determined to kill them, and the blade he wielded made it all that more real. They were used to digimon with strange appearances and weapons, powers even but they'd not seen one wield a sword.

"Everyone run," Joe exclaimed and they had no choice but to listen.

Fight or Flight and all that.

**.**

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**.**

It felt like forever, but was probably just an hour later that they'd gotten away from both Leomon and Ogremon, who'd shown up suddenly during their fight on Infinity Mountain.

She cursed the person behind the black gears, and couldn't help but think about Leomon. She hadn't seen a black gear anywhere on him, but he seemed possessed. Who could have accomplished that though? The power to control another's mind seemed so far fetched but something had definitely gotten to Leomon.

She believed Renamon and the other digimon about the digimon they'd encountered being peaceful in most cases, but she was beginning to see a pattern of all those peaceful digimon they ran into being controlled by something. What she needed, she thought as she walked, was a nice warm bath. Some Ramen would be nice as well.

"Look! It's a house," Mimi exclaimed once they'd broken into a clearing from the forest they'd been walking through.

Sora sweat-dropped, smiling slightly amused. "I don't think that's a house, Mimi, more like a mansion."

Narumi narrowed her eyes at the large mansion, that came seemingly out of nowhere. Why would a house be in the digital world, especially one like this? She had no doubt this world had homes, but would they really be anything like this? It was the first one they'd come across, so maybe there wasn't that much of a difference between the worlds.

It still gave her an uneasy feeling.

"Who cares, let's go inside," Tai said, smiling. "Maybe there's food."

"Hmm, or a bathroom!" Mimi added, happily.

"Beds, it's been a long time since I've slept on a bed," T.K muttered, loud enough they all heard him.

Smiling, Narumi nodded, and followed the others inside. Right before she entered, though, she was sure she saw a flash of black, and something like wings before it was gone. She stopped, eyes staring at the place she'd seen whatever it had been, a chill traveling down her spine.

"Naru?" a familiar voice said, drawing her from her thoughts. Looking in front of her she saw the concerned blue eyes staring at her. "Are you alright?"

She took one more glance back at the area she'd seen the black flash and then turned back to Matt. She smiled, nodding.

"Fine, I just thought I saw something. It was probably just a bat or something," she said.

_'At least,' _Narumi began thinking, eyes downcast and narrowed as she entered the mansion._ 'I hope that's all it was.' _


End file.
